Bile acid look-alike controls life span in C. elegans.

Extensive transcriptional networks maintain sterol homeostasis across species, underscoring the importance of sterol balance for healthy life. Magner et al. (2013) now show that, in C. elegans, the nuclear receptor NHR-8 is key in regulation of cholesterol balance and production of dafachronic acid, a bile acid-like steroid that controls longevity.