Autophagy: The Self-Cleansing Process That Keeps Your Body Healthy
Autophagy is a self-cleansing process that occurs in all cells in the body. The word autophagy comes from the Greek autós, meaning “self”, and phagein, meaning “to eat”. This process is essential for the recycling of damaged proteins and organelles, as well as for the removal of pathogens. Autophagy was first described in the late 1950s, but its molecular mechanisms were not elucidated until the early 21st century. In 2016, Japanese scientist Yoshinori Ohsumi was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries of the mechanisms of autophagy. Autophagy occurs in response to various stresses, such as nutrient deprivation, oxidative stress, and temperature changes. It is also involved in developmental processes, such as cell growth, differentiation, and death. In certain disease states, such as cancer and neurodegeneration, autophagy is dysregulated. This blog will provide an overview of autophagy, its molecular mechanisms, and its physiological functions. What is A
