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Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
Lysosomal Hydrolases01:22

Lysosomal Hydrolases

Lysosomes are the site for the degradation of macromolecules and biological polymers released during membrane trafficking events such as secretory, endocytic, autophagic, and phagocytic pathways. The membrane-enclosed area of the lysosome, called the lumen, contains hydrolytic enzymes active in an acidic environment. These acid hydrolases are functional at a pH between 4.5 and 5 and are involved in cellular processes such as cell signaling, energy metabolism, restoration of the plasma membrane,...
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.
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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

The Lactate Dehydrogenase Sequestration Assay — A Simple and Reliable Method to Determine Bulk Autophagic Sequestration Activity in Mammalian Cells
09:34

The Lactate Dehydrogenase Sequestration Assay — A Simple and Reliable Method to Determine Bulk Autophagic Sequestration Activity in Mammalian Cells

Published on: July 27, 2018

Autophagy on acid.

Jonathan W Wojtkowiak1, Robert J Gillies

  • 1Department of Cancer Imaging and Metabolism, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.

Autophagy
|August 10, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cancer cells adapt to acidic tumor microenvironments by inducing autophagy, a survival mechanism essential for growth and progression. This adaptation is crucial for surviving low extracellular pH conditions.

Keywords:
acidosisautophagycarcinogenesissomatic evolutiontumor microenvironment

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Ultrastructural Localization of Endogenous LC3 by On-Section Correlative Light-Electron Microscopy

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Live Cell Imaging of Early Autophagy Events: Omegasomes and Beyond
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The Lactate Dehydrogenase Sequestration Assay — A Simple and Reliable Method to Determine Bulk Autophagic Sequestration Activity in Mammalian Cells
09:34

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Ultrastructural Localization of Endogenous LC3 by On-Section Correlative Light-Electron Microscopy
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Live Cell Imaging of Early Autophagy Events: Omegasomes and Beyond
09:00

Live Cell Imaging of Early Autophagy Events: Omegasomes and Beyond

Published on: July 27, 2013

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Solid tumors exhibit an acidic microenvironment (pH 6.5-7.0) compared to normal tissues (pH 7.2-7.4).
  • This acidity arises from chaotic vasculature, hypoxia, and altered cancer cell metabolism.
  • Extracellular acidosis is detrimental to normal cells but cancer cells develop adaptive survival strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify cancer cell survival mechanisms in response to acidic extracellular pH (pHe).
  • To investigate the role of autophagy in cancer cell adaptation to chronic acidosis.

Main Methods:

  • Culturing cancer cells at acidic pHe (6.6-6.7) acutely and over multiple generations.
  • Assessing cell growth rates and inducing autophagy.
  • Inhibiting autophagy and observing cell viability.
  • Analyzing LC3 protein expression in tumor xenografts and after in vivo pH buffering.

Main Results:

  • Acclimated cancer cells, unlike acutely exposed cells, maintained growth rates comparable to controls.
  • Autophagy induction was observed in cancer cells under both acute and chronic acidic conditions.
  • Inhibiting autophagy led to cell death in low pH-cultured cells.
  • LC3 protein expression correlated with acidic tumor regions and decreased upon in vivo pH buffering with sodium bicarbonate.

Conclusions:

  • Autophagy is a critical survival adaptation for cancer cells in acidic tumor microenvironments.
  • Chronic extracellular acidosis induces autophagy, enabling cancer cell survival and potentially contributing to tumor progression.
  • Targeting autophagy may represent a therapeutic strategy to combat tumors in acidic conditions.