Maximum life span (or, for humans, maximum reported age at death) is a
measure of the maximum amount of time one or more members of a
population have been observed to survive between birth and death. The
term can also denote an estimate of the maximum amount of time that a
member of a given species could survive between birth and death,
provided circumstances that are optimal to that member's
longevity.Most living species have at least one upper limit on the
number of times the cells of a member can divide. This is called the
Hayflick limit, although number of cell divisions does not strictly
control lifespan.In animal studies, maximum span is often taken to be
the mean life span of the most long-lived 10% of a given cohort. By
another definition, however, maximum life span corresponds to the age
at which the oldest known member of a species or experimental group
has died. Calculation of the maximum life span in the latter sense
depends upon initial sample size.Maximum life span contrasts with mean
life span (average life span, life expectancy), and longevity. Mean
life span varies with susceptibility to disease, accident, suicide and
homicide, whereas maximum life span is determined by "rate of aging".
Longevity refers only to the characteristics of the especially long
lived members of a population, such as infirmities as they age or
compression of morbidity, and not the specific life span of an
individual.
measure of the maximum amount of time one or more members of a
population have been observed to survive between birth and death. The
term can also denote an estimate of the maximum amount of time that a
member of a given species could survive between birth and death,
provided circumstances that are optimal to that member's
longevity.Most living species have at least one upper limit on the
number of times the cells of a member can divide. This is called the
Hayflick limit, although number of cell divisions does not strictly
control lifespan.In animal studies, maximum span is often taken to be
the mean life span of the most long-lived 10% of a given cohort. By
another definition, however, maximum life span corresponds to the age
at which the oldest known member of a species or experimental group
has died. Calculation of the maximum life span in the latter sense
depends upon initial sample size.Maximum life span contrasts with mean
life span (average life span, life expectancy), and longevity. Mean
life span varies with susceptibility to disease, accident, suicide and
homicide, whereas maximum life span is determined by "rate of aging".
Longevity refers only to the characteristics of the especially long
lived members of a population, such as infirmities as they age or
compression of morbidity, and not the specific life span of an
individual.
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