autophagy
Internal recycling mechanism
Autophagy is a cellular process in which the body breaks down and recycles damaged or unnecessary components within its own cells.
The term literally means self-eating.
Cells use autophagy to clear out dysfunctional proteins and organelles, maintaining cellular health and responding to stress or starvation.
Research links autophagy to aging, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases: Fasting may trigger autophagy.
Digestive organelle in cells
- degradationDecline in condition
- sequestrationAct of setting apart
- membraneThin tissue sheet
- vesicleSmall fluid-filled sac
engulfment · LC3 · nucleation · elongation · maturation · fusion · acidification · hydrolase
Extreme nutritional deprivation
- caloric restrictionReduced energy intake
- intermittent fastingScheduled cycles of eating and abstaining
- ketosisFat metabolism producing ketones
- energy deficitExpending more than ingested
Subcellular functional unit
- proteolysisEnzymatic protein breakdown
- catabolismMetabolic molecular dismantling
- turnoverSales volume or attrition
- amino acidsOrganic compounds forming proteins
metabolite · breakdown · salvage · reutilization · macromolecule · quality control
Total existence duration
- healthspanDuration of good vigor
- senescenceGradual functional decline with age
- agingGrowing older over time
- gerontologyScientific study of senescence
telomeres · caloric restriction · life extension · centenarian · biomarkers · age-related decline · neurodegeneration
Uncontrolled cell proliferation disease
- neurodegenerationProgressive loss of neurons
- Alzheimer'sDegenerative brain disease
- Parkinson'sNeurodegenerative motor disorder
- Huntington'sInherited neurodegenerative condition
cardiomyopathy · infection · immunity · inflammation · dysfunction · Crohn's disease · liver disease · muscular dystrophy
Fitting to new conditions
- survivalRemaining alive against odds
- hypoxiaInsufficient tissue oxygenation
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- homeostasisBiological internal stability maintenance
lysosome
Digestive organelle in cells
- degradationDecline in condition
- sequestrationAct of setting apart
- membraneThin tissue sheet
vesicle · engulfment · LC3 · nucleation · elongation · maturation · fusion · acidification · hydrolase · vacuole
starvation
Extreme nutritional deprivation
- caloric restrictionReduced energy intake
- intermittent fastingScheduled cycles of eating and abstaining
- ketosisFat metabolism producing ketones
organelle
Subcellular functional unit
- proteolysisEnzymatic protein breakdown
- catabolismMetabolic molecular dismantling
- turnoverSales volume or attrition
amino acids · metabolite · breakdown · salvage · reutilization · macromolecule · quality control
lifespan
Total existence duration
- healthspanDuration of good vigor
- senescenceGradual functional decline with age
- agingGrowing older over time
gerontology · telomeres · caloric restriction · life extension · centenarian · biomarkers · age-related decline · neurodegeneration
cancer
Uncontrolled cell proliferation disease
- neurodegenerationProgressive loss of neurons
- Alzheimer'sDegenerative brain disease
- Parkinson'sNeurodegenerative motor disorder
Huntington's · cardiomyopathy · infection · immunity · inflammation · dysfunction · Crohn's disease · liver disease · muscular dystrophy
adaptation
Fitting to new conditions
- survivalRemaining alive against odds
- hypoxiaInsufficient tissue oxygenation
- resilienceCapacity to recover quickly
- cell protectionantioxidants, glutathione, chaperones, detoxification, DNA repair
- agingaging process, aging body, biological age, aging workforce, aging parents
- Auto- wordsautomobile, autopilot, autocorrect, autobiography, autograph
- cell biologycell membrane, cell division, cytoplasm, ribosome, mitochondria
- longevitylifespan, life expectancy, healthspan, centenarian, supercentenarian
- AutophagyLC3, flux, Rubicon, chloroquine, lysosome
autophagybiosynthesis
Living production of molecules
anabolism · protein synthesis · biogenesis · lipogenesis · cell growth