As cells mature they naturally stop dividing and enter a period called senescence. But cellular senescence can also be induced prematurely by certain oncogenes involved in cancer development. Cellular senescence, a growth-arrest program that limits the lifespan of mammalian cells and prevents unlimited cell proliferation, is attracting considerable interest because of its links to tumor suppression.

Senescence signals.- Telomere Biology and Biochemistry.- Role of RecQ Helicases in Nuclear DNA Repair and Telomere Maintenance.- Oncogene-Induced Senescence (OIS) as a Cellular Response to Oncogenic Stresses.- Stress-Induced Senescence.- The senescent phenotype.- The Secretome of Senescent Cells.- Chromatin Structure in Senescent Cells.- A Comparison of Senescence in Mouse and Human Cells.- The physiological consequences of senescence.- Replicative Senescence as an Intrinsic Tumor-Suppressor Mechanism.- Telomere Dysfunction and Senescence in Stem Cell and Tissues Aging.- Mining Cellular Senescence for Drug Targets.