These expanded gene families are involved in immune surveillance, clearing cellular debris, removing damaged cells, and early cancer detection, all of which are essential for maintaining tissue stability as organisms age.

Species with larger brains relative to their body size often have longer lifespans, likely because larger brains demand more robust immune and maintenance systems to support their energy and oxygen needs.

The findings highlight that systemic resilience—particularly immune surveillance and cellular housekeeping—is central to aging, offering potential targets for promoting healthy longevity, though they do not suggest a direct cure for aging.

In humans, these longevity-associated genes are more active and produce diverse variants, enhancing cellular responses and maintenance mechanisms that support longer life.

A study comparing 46 mammalian species reveals that longer-lived species tend to have larger gene families related to immune functions and brain size, indicating a genetic basis for longevity.

Overall, longevity appears to be linked to systemic resilience involving immune and cellular maintenance systems, rather than being driven solely by metabolic changes or single gene effects.

Interestingly, body size and reproductive traits do not significantly influence gene family expansions related to lifespan, pointing to specific genetic pathways that extend longevity.