Figure 2.

The double-edged sword of cellular senescence. Cellular senescence has both beneficial and deleterious effects. The growth arrest is a potent anticancer mechanism, and some senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) components can promote tissue repair. However, the chronic presence of senescent cells, and especially inflammatory SASP components, can drive aging phenotypes and pathologies. Future efforts will entail developing interventions that eliminate senescent cells while replacing the factors they produce that optimize tissue repair.