Autophagy
| Autophagy | |
|---|---|
| Term | Autophagy |
| Short definition | Autophagy (aw-TAH-fuh-jee) process by which a cell breaks down and destroys old, damaged, or abnormal proteins and other substances in its cytoplasm (the fluid inside a cell). The breakdown products are then recycled for important cell functions, especially during periods of stress or starvation. |
| Type | Cancer terms |
| Specialty | Oncology |
| Language | English |
| Source | NCI |
| Comments | |
Autophagy - (pronounced) (aw-TAH-fuh-jee) process by which a cell breaks down and destroys old, damaged, or abnormal proteins and other substances in its cytoplasm (the fluid inside a cell). The breakdown products are then recycled for important cell functions, especially during periods of stress or starvation. Autophagy also helps destroy bacteria and viruses that cause infection and can prevent normal cells from becoming cancerous. Once cancer has formed, autophagy can protect cancer cells by providing them with extra nutrients or by preventing anti-cancer drugs or other substances from destroying them. Autophagy can also affect the body's immune response against viruses, bacteria, and cancer cells
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Autophagy
- Wikipedia's article - Autophagy
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