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Related Concept Videos

Autophagic Cell Death01:18

Autophagic Cell Death

Christian de Duve discovered “autophagy,” a process in which cellular components are engulfed by membrane-bound organelles called autophagosomes. The autophagosomes then fuse with lysosomes to digest the enclosed contents. Autophagy is generally activated in cells to prevent cell death. However, cell death is triggered when the damage is beyond repair.
Autophagy and Apoptosis
Autophagy can activate apoptosis. In normal conditions, the autophagy activating protein Beclin-1 and pro-apoptotic...
Overview of Cell Death01:30

Overview of Cell Death

Cell death is an essential process where the body gets rid of old or damaged cells. Cell proliferation and death need to be balanced, as an imbalance between the two may lead to cancer or autoimmune diseases.
Cell death was observed in the early 19th century, but there was no experimental evidence to prove it. In 1842, Carl Vogt first discovered cell death in a metamorphic toad; however, it was not termed ‘cell death.’ Scientists discovered different cell death pathways only in the 20th century...
Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy01:22

Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy

Cells respond to damage and stress through highly coordinated processes that decide whether they survive or undergo controlled self-destruction. Two major pathways involved in this regulation are apoptosis, a type of programmed cell death, and autophagy, a survival mechanism that helps cells adapt to adverse conditions.ApoptosisApoptosis removes aged or injured cells to maintain tissue balance. During this process, the cell shrinks, chromatin condenses and fragments, and membrane-bound...
Autophagy01:27

Autophagy

Autophagy is a self-digesting process by which a cell protects itself from threats both within and outside the cell, ranging from abnormal proteins to invading bacteria. In this process, obsolete components of the cell and invading microbes are degraded by hydrolytic enzymes active in an acidic environment of the lysosomal lumen.
An autophagic pathway consists of a series of signaling events activated in response to diverse stress and physiological conditions such as food deprivation,...
Delivery Pathways to the Lysosome01:36

Delivery Pathways to the Lysosome

Eukaryotic cells use different mechanisms to eliminate toxic waste obsolete and worn-out substances. Lysosomes play a pivotal role in this, and hence, these substances are carried to the lysosome from other parts of the cell and extracellular space through different pathways. The most elaborately studied pathways to the lysosome are the endocytic pathways.
Endocytosis
In endocytosis, the cell membrane takes up macromolecules and particles from the surrounding medium. Clathrin-mediated...
Phagocytosis of Apoptotic Cells01:17

Phagocytosis of Apoptotic Cells

Cells undergoing apoptosis form apoptotic bodies that must be removed immediately to prevent inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and necrosis. Phagocytosis is carried out by professional phagocytes such as macrophages or  immature dendritic cells. Non-professional phagocytes such as  epithelial cells and fibroblasts also take part in this process; however, they are not as effective as professional phagocytes. 
Normal cells contain receptors that prevent them from being recognized by phagocytes.

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Use of LysoTracker to Detect Programmed Cell Death in Embryos and Differentiating Embryonic Stem Cells
12:44

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Published on: October 11, 2012

Autophagy functions in programmed cell death.

Deborah L Berry1, Eric H Baehrecke

  • 1Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.

Autophagy
|January 24, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Autophagic cell death, a key developmental process, requires autophagy and Atg genes in Drosophila salivary glands. High autophagy levels can lead to caspase-independent cell death, revealing its physiological role.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Autophagic cell death is a recognized form of cell death in animals.
  • The precise role of autophagy in cell death remains unclear.
  • Autophagosomes are observed during autophagic cell death.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional role of autophagy in autophagic cell death.
  • To determine if autophagy and Atg genes are essential for this process in vivo.
  • To explore the relationship between autophagy and caspases in cell death.

Main Methods:

  • Studied autophagic cell death in Drosophila salivary glands.
  • Investigated the requirement of autophagy and Atg genes.
  • Analyzed the role of caspases in the dying salivary glands.
  • Induced high levels of autophagy to observe cell death outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Autophagy and Atg genes are essential for autophagic cell death in Drosophila salivary glands.
  • Autophagy is necessary for complete cell degradation, even in the presence of caspases.
  • Elevated autophagy induction can trigger caspase-independent autophagic cell death.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first in vivo evidence that autophagy and Atg genes are required for autophagic cell death.
  • Autophagic cell death is confirmed as a physiological developmental program.
  • Autophagy plays a critical, non-redundant role in programmed cell death.