autophagy

noun

au·toph·a·gy ȯ-ˈtä-fə-jē How to pronounce autophagy (audio)

: the biological process that involves the enzymatic breakdown of a cell's cytoplasm or cytoplasmic components (such as damaged or unneeded organelles or proteins) within the lysosomes of the same cell

Most of the time, cells sweep away this debris. They even recycle it for fuel. Through the process of autophagy, or "self-eating," cells create specialized membranes that engulf junk in the cytoplasm and carry it to a region of the cell called the lysosome, where the waste is broken down and burned for energy.

Gretchen Reynolds

Certain environmental cues (such as starvation, high temperature, low oxygen, hormonal stimulation) or intracellular stress (damaged organelles, accumulation of mutant proteins, microbial invasion) activate signalling pathways that increase autophagy.

Beth Levine

… proliferating [cancer] cells maintain a nutrient supply by hijacking a natural cell-housekeeping process called autophagy, in which cells chop up and dispose of damaged or obsolete cell components such as proteins.

Nathan Seppa

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French autophagie, from auto- auto- + -phagie -phagy

Note: As a term in cell biology introduced by the Belgian immunologist Jules Bordet (1870-1961) in "La bactériophagie ou l'autolyse microbienne transmissible," Volume jubilaire publié à l'occasion du centenaire de la Société royale des sciences médicales et naturelles de Bruxelles (Brussels, 1922), p. 363.

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

单词	autophagy
释义	autophagy noun au·toph·a·gy ȯ-ˈtä-fə-jē : the biological process that involves the enzymatic breakdown of a cell's cytoplasm or cytoplasmic components (such as damaged or unneeded organelles or proteins) within the lysosomes of the same cell Most of the time, cells sweep away this debris. They even recycle it for fuel. Through the process of autophagy, or "self-eating," cells create specialized membranes that engulf junk in the cytoplasm and carry it to a region of the cell called the lysosome, where the waste is broken down and burned for energy. Gretchen Reynolds Certain environmental cues (such as starvation, high temperature, low oxygen, hormonal stimulation) or intracellular stress (damaged organelles, accumulation of mutant proteins, microbial invasion) activate signalling pathways that increase autophagy. Beth Levine … proliferating [cancer] cells maintain a nutrient supply by hijacking a natural cell-housekeeping process called autophagy, in which cells chop up and dispose of damaged or obsolete cell components such as proteins. Nathan Seppa Word History Etymology borrowed from French autophagie, from auto- auto- + -phagie -phagy Note: As a term in cell biology introduced by the Belgian immunologist Jules Bordet (1870-1961) in "La bactériophagie ou l'autolyse microbienne transmissible," Volume jubilaire publié à l'occasion du centenaire de la Société royale des sciences médicales et naturelles de Bruxelles (Brussels, 1922), p. 363. First Known Use 1924, in the meaning defined above Medical Definition autophagy noun au·toph·a·gy ȯ-ˈtäf-ə-jē plural autophagies : digestion of cellular constituents by enzymes of the same cell
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autophagy

noun

Word History

Medical Definition

noun