Maybe you’ve never heard the word “autophagy” before. Or maybe you’ve been wondering for years what it means.
Autophagy, also called autophagocytosis, refers to a process in cellular biology that has sparked interest in recent years because of its implications for medical science and human health.
“Auto” means self in Greek. “Phagy” means to eat or to devour. So, “autophagy” is the act of eating one’s self. And this is exactly what cells do to keep healthy—especially when they are starving.
Each cell has organelles (cellular organs) called lysosomes that function like a stomach. They digest and break down cellular waste and invading viruses and bacteria. Different forms of autophagy make use of the lysosome’s digestive enzymes to break down cellular components at different scales. …