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Related Concept Videos

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...
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,...
Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes01:25

Immune Surveillance by NK Cells and Phagocytes

Immune surveillance is an integral part of the innate immune system, involving the continuous monitoring of peripheral tissues to detect and respond to pathogens, infected cells, or cancerous cells. This surveillance is conducted primarily by natural killer (NK) cells and phagocytes, which employ distinct but complementary mechanisms to identify and eliminate threats.
Natural Killer Cells: The Fast Responders
NK cells are large granular lymphocytes found in the blood and lymphatic system. These...
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...
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...
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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 21, 2026

Assessing Autophagic Flux by Measuring LC3, p62, and LAMP1 Co-localization Using Multispectral Imaging Flow Cytometry
11:39

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

Published on: July 21, 2017

Autophagy: an emerging immunological paradigm.

Vojo Deretic1

  • 1Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. vderetic@salud.unm.edu

Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
|June 23, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Autophagy, a cellular process, plays a crucial role in immunity by eliminating microbes and regulating inflammation. This review highlights its expanding functions in both innate and adaptive immunity.

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Experimental Analysis of Apoptotic Thymocyte Engulfment by Macrophages
06:47

Experimental Analysis of Apoptotic Thymocyte Engulfment by Macrophages

Published on: May 24, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 21, 2026

Assessing Autophagic Flux by Measuring LC3, p62, and LAMP1 Co-localization Using Multispectral Imaging Flow Cytometry
11:39

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

Published on: July 21, 2017

Experimental Analysis of Apoptotic Thymocyte Engulfment by Macrophages
06:47

Experimental Analysis of Apoptotic Thymocyte Engulfment by Macrophages

Published on: May 24, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Cellular Biology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Autophagy is a fundamental eukaryotic process involved in cytoplasmic homeostasis.
  • Recent research reveals significant immunological functions and interactions with the immune system.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the diverse roles of autophagy in innate and adaptive immunity and inflammation.
  • To explore autophagy's impact on immune cell functions and its implications in disease.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of current research on autophagy and immunity.
  • Synthesis of findings on autophagy's mechanisms in immune processes.

Main Results:

  • Autophagy mediates cell-autonomous elimination of intracellular microbes.
  • It influences inflammasome activation, cytokine secretion (e.g., IL-1β), and Toll-like receptor (TLR) and Nod-like receptor (NLR) signaling.
  • Autophagy impacts antigen presentation, T cell repertoire selection, and T cell homeostasis.

Conclusions:

  • Autophagy is a critical immunological process with broad implications for immune system function.
  • Its dysregulation is implicated in chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, representing a new immunological paradigm.