disposable soma theory

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disposable soma theory

(Zoology) the theory that ageing is caused by the body having increasingly fewer resources to allocate towards repairing wear and damage to tissues

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References in periodicals archive ?

Other theories of oncocyte formation include Medawar's mutation accumulation hypothesis, Kirkwood's disposable soma theory and the concept of antagonistic pleiotropy.

SALIVARY GLAND ONCOCYTOMA AND EVOLUTION OF ONCOCYTES

Disposable Soma Theory: We just temporarily house our genes.

Nevada Homeopathic and Integrative Medical Association 2014 conference: Part 2

The disposable soma theory states that, although the genes are immortal and can indeed "live forever" by being continually passed on to subsequent generations, the body or "soma" is disposable because it is designed to live only long enough to act as a vehicle for carrying genes to the next generation.