Scientists at Bar-Ilan University in Israel have found that sleep promotes DNA repair in cells, which prevents premature aging and the development of cancer. This was announced in a press release on MedicalXpress.
During the study, biologists resorted to 3D time-lapse photography of the neurons of living zebrafish (Danio rerio) using high-resolution microscopy, which allowed them to visualize the processes occurring with chromosomes during diurnal cycles. It turned out that during wakefulness, there is an accumulation of damage in the DNA, whose amount can reach an unsafe level.
Sleep supports the function of the cell nucleus by boosting chromosome dynamics and activating genetic material repair systems in each individual neuron, scientists say. This important role allowed this physiological state to develop and persist in the process of evolution, despite the fact that sleeping animals are at greater risk from predators.
DNA damage is one of the main processes that lead to cell aging and death. However, in some cases, defective cells can escape death by becoming malignant and multiplying uncontrollably inside healthy tissues.
