Relation of Known Hallmarks of Aging to the Ontogenesis Program

A brief assessment of the current state of the use of Hallmarks of aging is given in the article. It is noted that the biological clock based on registration of DNA methylation process is only a statistical indicator and has no direct connection to the known mechanisms of aging, reflecting only the fact of genome regulation during ontogenesis. In other words, the process of genome methylation is not the leading program, but rather it fixes the result of the main program of ontogenesis. The same problems are inherent to aging markers based on registration of changes in RNA synthesis levels in different genes. In our opinion, the Hallmarks of aging should primarily be connected with or directly reflect the most fundamental bases and processes which are universal for any organisms.