Lipofuscin

Easily seen at the poles of the cardiac nuclei, brown-red in color. The faster a mammal's basal rate of metabolism, the faster it produces lipofuscin. But for some reason, lipofuscin is also the pigment in earwax, giving it a characterisitc yellow-brown color. As one ages, the amount of lipofuscin will continue to increase, especially in the heart. One can determine the whether a heart is relatively young or old, as a direct reflection of the amount of lipofuscin present.

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