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If blood loss necessitates immediate cell division to replace lost cells, does the increase in cell division correlate to shortening of telomeres? Does it further cause the Hayflick Limit to be reached sooner? Does blood loss accelerate apoptosis?

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    $\begingroup$ One that down votes should make a comment to inform the OP what goes wrong with its question. $\endgroup$
    – Remi.b
    Aug 28, 2013 at 7:00
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    $\begingroup$ while it may be true that blood cells themselves come from HSC, there are more things in the blood than just those cells. Research such as telegraph.co.uk/health/9615779/… is showing that indeed higher than normal blood loss over a long period of time may then cause more rapid-than-normal cell division and premature aging. Something interesting along these lines: fasting for a day every few days is shown to increase lifespan, might be related to simply slowing cell division... we don't know. $\endgroup$ Dec 8, 2014 at 22:38

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Nope, nope, and nope. A cursory glance over any page on hematopoesis will reveal that blood cells are replenished from HSC, hematopoetic stem cells, which are self-renewing stem cells. Telomerase is activated in stem cells.

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    $\begingroup$ So what you are saying is that blood cells have no limit on cell divisions; and the telomere shortening theory does not apply to them? To which cells does it apply? $\endgroup$
    – Angelo
    Aug 28, 2013 at 7:34
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    $\begingroup$ @Angelo Blood stem cells have no limit. Stem cells theoretically have an indefinite potential to divide. They express telomerase and are not subject to the Hayflick limit in the same way as other cells. $\endgroup$
    – Amory
    Aug 28, 2013 at 17:23

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