Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 22, 2026

A Bedside, Single Burr Hole Approach to Multimodality Monitoring in Severe Brain Injury
06:18

A Bedside, Single Burr Hole Approach to Multimodality Monitoring in Severe Brain Injury

Published on: March 26, 2019

9.5K

Monitoring autophagy in cancer: From bench to bedside

Maeve Long1, Thomas G McWilliams2

  • 1Translational Stem Cell Biology & Metabolism Program, Research Programs Unit.

Seminars in Cancer Biology
|July 19, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Autophagy is a key cellular process for maintaining health, but its role in cancer is complex. New tools to study autophagy in vivo could improve cancer treatment strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Autophagy is a fundamental cellular mechanism for homeostasis and metabolism, crucial during nutrient deprivation.
  • Loss of basal autophagy impairs cellular proteostasis, metabolism, and tissue integrity.
  • Modulating autophagy is a therapeutic strategy for diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted role of autophagy in cancer biology.
  • To explore how selective autophagy pathways impact cancer development.
  • To highlight the potential of in vivo monitoring tools for understanding autophagy in cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of autophagy research in cancer.
  • Discussion of selective autophagy mechanisms.
  • Analysis of emerging in vivo tools for autophagy monitoring.

Main Results:

  • Autophagy's role in cancer is complex, with both augmentation and attenuation yielding variable outcomes.
  • Selective autophagy pathways offer targeted elimination of cellular components.
  • In vivo tools are crucial for clarifying autophagy's role in cancer pathophysiology.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding autophagy's dual role in cancer is critical for therapeutic development.
  • Selective autophagy pathways present novel targets for cancer intervention.
  • Advanced in vivo tools will enhance the translational benefit of autophagy research in oncology.
Keywords:
AutophagosomeAutophagyCancerMetabolismMitochondriaMitophagyOrganellesTumourmito-QC

More Related Videos

Activating Autophagy by Aerobic Exercise in Mice08:44

Activating Autophagy by Aerobic Exercise in Mice

Published on: February 3, 2017

12.7K
Construction and Setup of a Bench-scale Algal Photosynthetic Bioreactor with Temperature, Light, and pH Monitoring for Kinetic Growth Tests10:08

Construction and Setup of a Bench-scale Algal Photosynthetic Bioreactor with Temperature, Light, and pH Monitoring for Kinetic Growth Tests

Published on: June 14, 2017

17.3K

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,...
5.7K
Holter Monitor: 24-Hour Monitoring01:23

Holter Monitor: 24-Hour Monitoring

Holter monitoring is a continuous electrocardiography (ECG) recording that tracks the heart's electrical activity over an extended period, generally 24 to 48 hours. This noninvasive diagnostic tool detects irregular heart rhythms that may not be captured during a standard ECG performed in a clinical setting.DeviceThe Holter monitor is a portable, small device connected to several electrodes on the patient's chest. These electrodes detect the heart's electrical signals and transmit them to the...
2.2K
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping02:05

Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping

People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about...
43.5K
Cancer02:18

Cancer

Cancers arise due to mutations in genes involved in the regulation of cell division, which leads to unrestricted cell proliferation. Modern science and medicine have made great strides in the understanding and treatment of cancer, including eradicating cancer in some patients. However, there is still no cure for cancer. This is largely due to the fact that cancer is a large group of many diseases.
53.6K
What is Cancer?02:12

What is Cancer?

Cells and tissues must meticulously coordinate their activities for the normal functioning of the human body. Therefore, they exhibit socially responsible behavior - resting, growing, dividing, differentiating, or dying - for the organism’s benefit. Cancer arises when cells divide uncontrollably and invade other tissues or organs.
Although people have known about cancer for centuries, it was only in 1761 that Giovanni Morgagni of Padua performed a detailed autopsy of...
14.0K
Cancer Vaccines01:30

Cancer Vaccines

Cancer treatment vaccines are a rapidly evolving field that offers a promising approach to immunotherapy. Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent diseases, cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat existing cancers by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
984