Intercellular communication and aging

Ageing, which can be defined as functional decline of an organism with time, is a major factor of susceptibility to various chronic diseases, which constitute a huge burden for health care systems worldwide. The study of the mechanisms encompassing the alterations associated with age-related phenotypes has been a matter of great interest, however, due to its complexity, they are far from being elucidated. Despite the fact that ageing relies on a myriad of distinct responses, several hallmarks of ageing have been established, which include, among others altered intercellular communication. In this review, we aim at providing a comprehensive and critical perspective on the impact and role of intercellular communication in ageing. Although intercellular communication during ageing can assume different forms we will focus on: 1) the canonical senescence associated secretory phenotype, 2) direct cell-cell communication through gap junctions or tubule-like structures and 3) long distance communication, involving extracellular vesicles and paracrine communication mediated by Connexin-containing hemichannels. Furthermore, we will discuss whether changes in intercellular communication can be considered a cause or consequence of ageing.