Macroautophagy process

Macroautophagy is a highly conserved, regulated cellular degradation process in which cytoplasmic components—including macromolecules, protein aggregates, damaged organelles, and sometimes bacteria—are sequestered within double-membrane vesicles called autophagosomes, which subsequently fuse with lysosomes to degrade and recycle their contents. This process is essential for cellular homeostasis, adaptation to stress (such as nutrient deprivation), removal of defective cellular material, and immune function. Dysfunctional macroautophagy is implicated in a wide range of diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disorders, and infections. Regulation of macroautophagy involves a complex network of autophagy-related (ATG) proteins, kinase complexes (e.g. mTORC1, ULK1), and transcriptional regulators[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][9]. Note: "Macroautophagy process" is not a therapeutic target in the sense of a discrete molecule (receptor, enzyme, etc.) and is not itself druggable. Rather, specific proteins within the macroautophagy pathway (such as mTOR, ULK1, or members of the ATG family) serve as therapeutic targets. Thus, this entry is more appropriately classified as a biological process rather than a canonical therapeutic target.

Other names

MacroautophagyAutophagy (in some contexts)Autophagic processAutophagic pathway