Several processes in the roundworm C. elegans boost the stress response in cells, incidentally making worms resistant to a high-fat diet and extending their lifespan. Researchers have found another: cells called glia that release a hormone that boosts the unfolded protein response in the endoplasmic reticulum of the worm’s cells, effectively doubling lifespan. This could lead to interventions to tune up peripheral cells, such as muscle cells, and prevent age-related deterioration in humans.
