GRC Collection (a selection from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, BLSA)

Lifetime Study Gerontology Research Center Collection

This resource includes adult human skin fibroblast cultures from subjects participating in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). The BLSA was initiated to permit repeated observations of the same subjects over a long period of time to quantify true age changes and elucidate mechanisms underlying these changes. Observations documented include medical, genetic, biochemical, physiological, and behavioral variables. Information on the donor of any culture is available on request.

The cultures from these subjects form a unique resource for cellular aging research because of the extensive database of medical measurements on each donor, the wide range of donor ages (from 17-96), and the availability of an in vitro  lifespan measurement and karyotype for each culture.

Overview of the collection

• Individuals at different ages
  • Fibroblast cultures from females
    • Females from 24-40 years of age
    • Females from 41-60 years of age
    • Females from 61-80 years of age
    • Females from 81-92 years of age
  • Fibroblast cultures from males
    • Males from 17-40 years of age
    • Males from 41-60 years of age
    • Males from 61-80 years of age
    • Males from 81-96 years of age
• Individuals Sampled Serially
  • Individuals from 17-40 years of age
  • Individuals from 41-60 years of age
  • Individuals from 61-80 years of age
  • Individuals from 81-96 years of age

Lifetime Study 
Individuals Sampled Multiple Times at Different Ages

Within the longitudinal study collection is a group of individuals for whom multiple fibroblast cultures are available. These individuals, 27 females and 93 males, were sampled at several times during their lifetime. The group includes 25 female subjects and 79 males subjects sampled at two different ages, 2 females and 12 males sampled at three different ages, and 2 males sampled at four different ages.

Individuals from 17-40 years of age

Individuals from 41-60 years of age

Individuals from 61-80 years of age

Individuals from 81-96 years of age