Our studies have shown that zeatin, (6-[4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enylamino]adenine), a cytokinin plant growth factor, has gerontomodulatory, youth preserving and anti-aging effects on serially passaged human adult skin fibroblasts undergoing aging in vitro. There were no immediate negative or toxic effects in terms of cell attachment, cell proliferation, cell survival, cytoskeletal organization, and cellular growth by treatment with zeatin concentrations between 1 and 200 microM. During long-term treatment, cells could be maintained throughout their replicative lifespan in the presence of 40, 80, and 200 microM zeatin, but the optimal concentration of zeatin's anti-aging and youth preserving effects was found to be 80 microM. Life-long serial passaging of human skin fibroblasts in the presence of zeatin resulted in the prevention of cell enlargement, reduction of intracellular debris, prevention of actin polymerization, and enhancement of cellular ability to decompose hydrogen peroxide and to cope with ethanol and oxidative stresses. Most importantly, anti-aging and beneficial effects of zeatin were observed without any induction of additional cell proliferation or an increase in the maximum proliferative capacity, thus ruling out any potentially harmful and carcinogenic effects.