What is the Role of Telomerase in Telomere Length Regulation?
Telomerase is an enzyme that adds telomeric repeats to the ends of chromosomes, counteracting telomere shortening. In most somatic cells, telomerase activity is low or absent, leading to gradual telomere shortening. However, in germ cells, stem cells, and cancer cells, telomerase activity is upregulated, allowing these cells to maintain their telomere length and continue dividing indefinitely.
