Some notes on Chapter VIII of Survival of the Sickest:

Orphan diseases are diseases (often rare ones) that are not paid attention to/ researched on because they are extremely rare. For example, the Hutchinson-Gilford and Werner Syndrome.


The very existence of the progeria gene demonstrates that there coudl be genetic controls for aging.

Cells only divide a fixed number of times before they "up and quit."

• Limit on cellular reproduction is called the Hayflick Limit
• Related to loss of genetic buffer at the end of chromosomes are called telomeres.
• Everytime a cell reproduces, it loses a little bit of DNA.

Rachel Putri Utomo
Block F, Honors Biology
Mr. Kevin Quick
Academic Year 2013-2014