With aging, the intestine gradually loses its ability to regenerate after damage. An international research team involving the Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) in Jena and the University of Turin has now found that polyamines, small molecules produced naturally in the body, can play a decisive role in this process. By specifically activating polyamine metabolism prior to injury, the researchers were able to restore the regenerative capacity of aged intestinal cells in a mouse model. A new potential approach for treating age-related tissue damage.