Figure 1. Overview of the Hallmarks of Aging and their functional interactions.

The proposed nine hallmarks of aging are categorized based on common characteristics and their contribution to aging. Left panel: The primary hallmarks of aging are the hallmarks regarded as the primary cause of cellular damage. Middle panel: The antagonistic hallmarks of aging are those hallmarks considered to be part of compensatory or antagonistic responses to damage. These hallmarks initially mitigate the damage, but eventually can become deleterious themselves. Right panel: The integrative hallmarks of aging are the end result of the two previously described categories and are ultimately responsible for the functional decline associated with aging. The interactions between the categories are indicated at the top of the panels.