Maintenance processes

Topic

In biogerontology, maintenance processes (often referred to as somatic maintenance or longevity assurance mechanisms) are the physiological and cellular repair systems that preserve organismal integrity and combat molecular damage. According to evolutionary theories of aging like the disposable soma theory, the allocation of metabolic resources to these anti-aging processes directly determines an organism's lifespan and rate of senescence. Key components of these systems include DNA repair, protein degradation pathways like autophagy, and antioxidant defenses.