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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,...
Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions01:24

Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions

Drug toxicities can be stratified into pharmacological, pathological, or genotoxic based on their mechanisms. The incidence and severity of these toxicities generally increase with the drug's concentration in the body and exposure time.Pharmacological toxicity is evident when the therapeutic effects of drugs overshoot into adverse reactions in a predictable, dose-dependent manner. Central nervous system (CNS) depression from barbiturates is a classic example, with effects escalating from...
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...
Toxic Reactions: Overview01:26

Toxic Reactions: Overview

When toxic substances penetrate the human body, they disseminate to various tissues, undergoing metabolic changes. This process yields reactive metabolites that may covalently bind with specific target molecules, resulting in toxicity.
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
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...
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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Updated: May 17, 2026

Exploring the Regulation of Lipid Droplet Catabolism through Lipophagy
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Exploring the Regulation of Lipid Droplet Catabolism through Lipophagy

Published on: January 31, 2025

Autophagy in toxicology: cause or consequence?

Sten Orrenius1, Vitaliy O Kaminskyy, Boris Zhivotovsky

  • 1Institute of Environmental Medicine, Division of Toxicology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden. Sten.Orrenius@ki.se

Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology
|October 18, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Autophagy, a cellular process, is vital for development and tissue health but can cause cell death when persistently activated. Its role in toxicity requires further investigation.

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In Vitro and In Vivo Detection of Mitophagy in Human Cells, C. Elegans, and Mice
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In Vitro and In Vivo Detection of Mitophagy in Human Cells, C. Elegans, and Mice

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Exploring the Regulation of Lipid Droplet Catabolism through Lipophagy
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Assessing Autophagic Flux by Measuring LC3, p62, and LAMP1 Co-localization Using Multispectral Imaging Flow Cytometry
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In Vitro and In Vivo Detection of Mitophagy in Human Cells, C. Elegans, and Mice
08:40

In Vitro and In Vivo Detection of Mitophagy in Human Cells, C. Elegans, and Mice

Published on: November 22, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Cellular Biology
  • Physiology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Autophagy research has surged, identifying multiple forms and regulatory genes.
  • Autophagy is crucial for embryonic development and adult tissue homeostasis.
  • Deficiencies in autophagy are linked to various human diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of autophagy's role in cell metabolism and physiology.
  • To explore the dual role of autophagy as a protective mechanism and a cause of cell death.
  • To investigate the interplay between autophagy and other cell death modes in toxicological contexts.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent research on autophagy.
  • Analysis of studies linking autophagy to development, homeostasis, and disease.
  • Examination of toxicological data concerning autophagy and cell death.

Main Results:

  • Autophagy plays a significant role in cell metabolism and physiology.
  • Persistent autophagy activation can lead to cell death, especially upon exposure to toxicants.
  • The interaction between autophagy and other cell death pathways is complex.

Conclusions:

  • Autophagy is a critical cellular process with implications for health and disease.
  • While often protective, autophagy's role in toxicity is not fully understood.
  • Further research is needed to clarify the toxicological significance of autophagy.