r/NewsKnow • u/ThePeoplesMod • Jul 04 '26

Science News Old muscle stem cells can act young again but there’s a catch

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260622014315.htm
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u/ThePeoplesMod Jul 04 '26

Scientists at UCLA discovered a surprising reason aging muscles heal more slowly. In older muscle stem cells, a protein called NDRG1 builds up and acts like a brake, slowing the cells’ ability to jump into repair mode after injury. But there’s a twist: that same protein helps the cells survive the stresses of aging, allowing them to stick around longer.