The answer is
repeated divisions
Telomeres maintain the integrity
of DNA in chromosomes of a cell. They are
analogous to caps at the end of a rope that prevent the fibers from fraying. The telomeres
shorten with each replication during mitosis. Therefore, they are associated with aging since a cell would not
replicate with very short telomeres. In cancer, telomerase (that generates the
telomeres) is often active and help the sustenance
of cancer cells during their
proliferation and active mitosis.
