Abstract: Age or expectation of life is assessed by determining the length of the telomeres by a blot method and, optionally, by subsequently hybridizing the DNA gel-electrophoretically separated and bound to the membrane obtained through the blot method by means of a nucleic acid probe complementary to the telomeric sequence, and subjecting the specimen DNA to a full restriction digestion containing the telomeric DNA prior to the gel-electrophoretic separation, wherein the separation of the digested DNA in the gel-electrophoresis underlying the blot method takes place at <5 V/cm and for the duration of at least 6 hours.

Abstract: A method of assessing the age or expectation of life wherein the length of the telomeres is determined by a blot method and, optionally, by subsequently hybridizing the DNA gel-electrophoretically separated and bound to the membrane obtained through the blot method by means of a nucleic acid probe complementary to the telomeric sequence, and wherein the specimen DNA containing the telomeric DNA prior to the gel-electrophoretic separation is subjected to a full restriction digestion, characterized in that the separation of the digested DNA in the gel-electrophoresis underlying the blot method takes place at (a) <5 V/cm, and (b) for the duration of at least 6 hours.