Macroautophagy, for simplicity frequently called autophagy, is a mechanism used by cells to survive periods of starvation by degrading cytoplasmic components and releasing muchneeded metabolites and energy. In so doing, autophagy also achieves another feat: removal of dysfunctional and toxic proteins and protein aggregates, as well as entire organelles, such as functionally impaired mitochondria. Therefore up-regulation of autophagy is now considered to be of potential therapeutic benefit in numerous diseases, including neurodegenerative conditions resulting from accumulation of misfolded, intracytoplasmic, aggregate-prone proteins. This article discusses a complex network of signalling pathways upstream of autophagy and potential targets that may allow precise and efficient control of autophagy for therapeutic purposes.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Feature|
April 01 2012
It's time to eat yourself healthy: On signals controlling autophagy Free
Viktor I. Korolchuk;
Viktor I. Korolchuk
1Newcastle University, UK
Search for other works by this author on:
David C. Rubinsztein
David C. Rubinsztein
2University of Cambridge, UK
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Online ISSN: 1740-1194
Print ISSN: 0954-982X
2012 © Biochemical Society
2012
Biochem (Lond) (2012) 34 (2): 8–13.
Citation
Viktor I. Korolchuk, David C. Rubinsztein; It's time to eat yourself healthy: On signals controlling autophagy. Biochem (Lond) 1 April 2012; 34 (2): 8–13. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BIO03402008
Download citation file: