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Abstract
While Growth Differentiation Factor 11 (GDF11) has a well-established role in embryological development, much remains unknown about its role in health and disease. Over the last decade, scientists have observed that GDF11 supplementation can reverse age-related deterioration of the heart, skeletal muscle, and brain, implicating this hormone as a potentially powerful therapeutic to promote tissue rejuvenation. Yet subsequent studies have produced conflicting data suggesting that GDF11 may cause tissue damage, and studies of additional organs, such as the liver and pancreas, have also failed to yield consistent results. To begin addressing these unanswered questions, we sought to move beyond standard mouse models. We utilized the Diversity Outbred (DO), a mouse population with extreme genetic variation, to define (1) the impact of natural circulating GDF11 on liver and pancreas tissue structure and (2) the effects of supplemental recombinant GDF11 on cognitive response in old age.