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Senescent** cells are those that have entered a state of permanent cell cycle arrest. This means that, despite being alive and metabolically active, they can no longer divide and reproduce. Cellular senescence is a natural response to various forms of stress, such as DNA damage, oxidative stress, and telomere shortening, and it plays a crucial role in aging, tissue repair, and the prevention of tumorigenesis.

Cells that commonly undergo senescence include:

1. **Somatic cells**: Most normal and differentiated cells can undergo senescence in response to stress, including human fibroblasts and epithelial cells.

2. **Stem Cells**: Certain types of stem cells can also enter senescence, impacting tissue regeneration and repair.

3. **Immune cells**: T cells and other immune cells can become senescent, especially as an organism ages or in chronic inflammatory conditions.

4. **Cancer cells**: While often seen as proliferative, some cancer cells can enter a senescent state in response to therapies or genetic alterations.

Senescent cells can secrete various pro-inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, and proteases, contributing to what is known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). This can affect the surrounding tissue environment and has implications for various age-related diseases.
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Senescent cells are those that have entered a state of permanent cell cycle arrest, meaning they can no longer divide despite being alive. This process, triggered by stressors like DNA damage, oxidative stress, and telomere shortening, plays a key role in aging, tissue repair, and tumor prevention.

Common cell types that undergo senescence include:

  1. Somatic cells: Normal differentiated cells, such as fibroblasts and epithelial cells, respond to stress by becoming senescent.

  2. Stem Cells: Certain stem cells can enter senescence, affecting tissue regeneration.

  3. Immune cells: T cells and other immune cells often become senescent with age or chronic inflammation.

  4. Cancer cells: Some cancer cells can also enter a senescent state due to therapies or genetic changes.

Senescent cells can secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors, contributing to the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), which impacts surrounding tissues and is linked to age-related diseases.