What is mTOR?

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I was reading this interesting paper – mTOR as a central regulator of lifespan and aging – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6611156/

This is the definition of mTOR from the paper:

‘The mammalian target of Rapamycin is a key component of cellular metabolism that integrates nutrient sensing with cellular processes that fuel cell growth and profileration’

What does mammalian target mean in this context? I know Rapamycin is a drug. Where is mTor in our body?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

It’s a [super complex signaling pathway](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTOR#/media/File:MTOR-pathway-v1.7.svg ). Rapamycin is a drug used to coat stents, which also seems to have an effect inhibiting this pathway. In experiments **done on mice**, adding this drug also happens to extend their lifecycle. So (unless you are a mouse with Internet access) this is an area where experiments and studies might be done on people.

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