The Stiff Old Age of the Gut: How Mechanics Silences Motility
Old age begins with familiar things getting stiffer: skin, joints, blood vessel walls. The intestine is no exception. Its muscular coat accumulates collagen with age, and the tissue stops being elastic. This used to be seen as simply a consequence of wear and tear, but a new study shows that stiffness itself is a command that makes smooth muscle cells forget their job.