Longevity & AgingWhy Greenland Sharks Live 400 Years and What It Means for Human Aging
The Greenland shark lives over 400 years and may barely age at all. A new narrative review examines what biological factors could explain this extraordinary lifespan. Key candidates include a frigid deep-sea environment, an extremely slow metabolism, and late sexual maturation — all of which reduce cumulative physiological wear. At the molecular level, the shark's genome shows duplications in DNA repair genes and an unusual form of the tumor suppressor p53, suggesting enhanced genome protection. The species also appears to maintain protein quality control, strong antioxidant defenses, and immune resilience over centuries. Notably, key systems like vision and heart function seem resistant to age-related decline. Researchers argue the Greenland shark is a powerful, underutilized model for understanding aging biology in vertebrates, with potential relevance for human longevity research.
