--- aliases: --- --- 👋 --- The aim of the study was to investigate whether normal aging leads to blood cells being produced from fewer cell clones. This was examined by comparing which X chromosome the cells were using between different age groups and between neutrophils and T cells. In other words, they studied human hematopoiesis acros s age by analyzing purified blood cell lineages from the subjects. ------- ## Study - 197 hematologically normal females | | Sample size | Age | Median | | ----------- | ----------- | ----- | ------ | | Newborn | 23 | 0 | 0 | | Young adult | 94 | 17-50 | 30 | | Eldery | 80 | 75-96 | 81 | ---- ### Methods - Peripheral blood samples were collected - Neutrophils and T cells were isolated using cell separation techniques _(centrifugation followed by lineage-specific purification)_ - X-chromosome inactivation was analyzed using the HUMARA PCR assay _(PCR-based measurement of which X chromosome is active)_ - T cells were analyzed by PCR to check for clonal expansion _(T-cell receptor γ gene rearrangement analysis)_