I know about the end replication problem. I've heard that cancer cells need them to survive such quick divisions. But I don't understand how normal cells don't need them. Despite the fact that they don't divide so quickly, they still divide. Doesn't almost everything in our bodies divide a renew itself — skin, bones. How can your skin survive almost 100 years of dividing? Shouldn't all the skin start dying earlier due to its cells' damaged DNA.
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3$\begingroup$ 100 year old skin doesn't look so great... $\endgroup$– MithoronCommented Jun 26 at 18:01
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Telomerase is a function by which it is responsible for preventing the shortening of the end of chromosomes (telomeres) upon cell division in order to circumvent the loss of important genetic material.
If telomerase malfunctions then the cell replication will not occurs. If reproductive cells did not have telomerase to maintain the length of their telomeres, any organism with such cells would soon go extinct.
Moreover an average skin cell can live 2 weeks to 3 weeks. Then the cells will fall off ( die ),then new cell will arise by replication.
