Applications of flow cytometry for measurement of autophagy

Autophagy is a dynamic catabolic process that plays a major role in sequestering and recycling cellular components in multiple physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Despite recent progress in our understanding of the autophagic process there is still a shortage of robust methods for monitoring autophagy in live cells. Flow cytometry, a reliable and unbiased method for quantitative collection of data in a high-throughput manner, was recently utilized to monitor autophagic activity in live and fixed mammalian cells. In this article we summarize the advantages and potential pitfalls of the use of flow cytometry to study autophagy.