Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Autophagy

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 Lysosome

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...

Cellular Injury V: Apoptosis and Autophagy

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...

Autophagic Cell Death

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...

Phagocytosis of Apoptotic Cells

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.

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The efficacy of immunotherapy in glioma requires distal B cell responses in tumor-draining lymph nodes.

Science immunology·2026

Same author

An extracellular, optogenetic antibody platform for stimulus-gated antigen recognition and modulation of cell behavior.

Cell chemical biology·2026

Same author

Robust effector memory features of human T-bet<sup>hi</sup> B cells induced by repeated mRNA vaccination.

iScience·2026

Same author

Intranasal Nanoliposomes Delivering Interferon Lambda with Enhanced Mucosal Retention as an Antiviral.

Biomaterials research·2025

Same author

Computational Design and Glycoengineering of Interferon-Lambda for Nasal Prophylaxis Against Respiratory Viruses.

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)·2025

Same author

Unlocking IL-33: New Insights into Tumor Immunity.

Immune network·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 2026

Exploring the Regulation of Lipid Droplet Catabolism through Lipophagy

Exploring the Regulation of Lipid Droplet Catabolism through Lipophagy

Published on: January 31, 2025

Modulation of pathogen recognition by autophagy.

Ji Eun Oh¹, Heung Kyu Lee

¹Laboratory of Host Defenses, Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Daejeon, Korea.

Frontiers in Immunology

|May 9, 2012

Summary

Autophagy, a cellular degradation process, is crucial for innate immunity. It aids immune cells in pathogen recognition, degradation, and regulating immune signaling pathways.

Keywords:

NOD-like receptors RIG-I-like receptors Toll-like receptors autophagy

More Related Videos

Assessing Autophagic Flux by Measuring LC3, p62, and LAMP1 Co-localization Using Multispectral Imaging Flow Cytometry

Assessing Autophagic Flux by Measuring LC3, p62, and LAMP1 Co-localization Using Multispectral Imaging Flow Cytometry

Published on: July 21, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 22, 2026

Exploring the Regulation of Lipid Droplet Catabolism through Lipophagy

Exploring the Regulation of Lipid Droplet Catabolism through Lipophagy

Published on: January 31, 2025

Assessing Autophagic Flux by Measuring LC3, p62, and LAMP1 Co-localization Using Multispectral Imaging Flow Cytometry

Assessing Autophagic Flux by Measuring LC3, p62, and LAMP1 Co-localization Using Multispectral Imaging Flow Cytometry

Published on: July 21, 2017

Area of Science:

Cellular Biology
Immunology
Molecular Biology

Background:

Autophagy is a fundamental cellular process for maintaining homeostasis through the degradation of cellular components.
Recent research highlights the significant role of autophagy in regulating innate immune responses.
Autophagy impacts various aspects of innate immunity, including pathogen handling and immune signaling.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent advancements in understanding autophagy's role in pathogen recognition.
To explore how autophagy modulates innate immune responses.
To provide insights into the dual functions of autophagy in innate immunity.

Main Methods:

Literature review of recent studies on autophagy and innate immunity.
Analysis of molecular mechanisms linking autophagy to pathogen recognition.
Examination of autophagy's influence on immune cell function and signaling pathways.

Main Results:

Autophagy directly degrades intracellular pathogens and enhances phagocytic cell function.
Autophagy modulates pathogen recognition receptor signaling and viral replication complex trafficking.
Autophagic pathway molecules can negatively regulate immune signaling, preventing excessive cytokine production.

Conclusions:

Autophagy is a critical regulator of innate immunity with diverse roles.
Understanding autophagy's mechanisms is key to developing new immunotherapies.
Autophagy's involvement in pathogen sensing and immune response modulation is a rapidly evolving field.