AUTOPHAGOCYTOSIS Meaning and
Definition
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Autophagocytosis is a biological process that involves the self-degradation of cellular components through the fusion of lysosomes with autophagosomes. It is a vital mechanism by which cells maintain homeostasis by removing damaged or unwanted cellular material, as well as recycling nutrients in times of starvation.
During autophagocytosis, a double-membraned vesicle called an autophagosome is formed around intracellular cargo, including proteins, organelles, and other macromolecules. The autophagosome then fuses with a lysosome, forming an autolysosome. Within the autolysosome, the cargo is broken down by lysosomal hydrolases, resulting in the degradation and recycling of its contents.
Autophagocytosis plays a crucial role in various physiological processes, such as embryonic development, cellular differentiation, and immune response. It is also involved in the removal of aggregate-prone proteins, damaged organelles, and invading pathogens. Dysregulation of autophagocytosis has been implicated in various diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, and aging-related ailments.
The discovery of autophagocytosis has garnered significant attention in the field of cell biology, leading to the identification and characterization of key molecular players involved in the process. These include autophagy-related genes (ATGs) and various protein complexes that regulate the initiation, elongation, and completion of autophagy.
In conclusion, autophagocytosis is a highly regulated cellular process that promotes the degradation and recycling of cellular components. It serves as a critical mechanism for maintaining cellular homeostasis and is implicated in a wide range of physiological and pathological conditions.
Common Misspellings for AUTOPHAGOCYTOSIS
- zutophagocytosis
- sutophagocytosis
- wutophagocytosis
- qutophagocytosis
- aytophagocytosis
- ahtophagocytosis
- ajtophagocytosis
- aitophagocytosis
- a8tophagocytosis
- a7tophagocytosis
- aurophagocytosis
- aufophagocytosis
- augophagocytosis
- auyophagocytosis
- au6ophagocytosis
- au5ophagocytosis
- autiphagocytosis
- autkphagocytosis
- autlphagocytosis
- autpphagocytosis
Etymology of AUTOPHAGOCYTOSIS
The word "autophagocytosis" is derived from three Greek roots: "auto" meaning "self", "phago" meaning "to eat" or "to devour", and "cytosis" meaning "cell". Therefore, "autophagocytosis" literally translates to "self-eating of the cell".
The term was coined by Belgian biochemist Christian de Duve in 1963 to describe the process by which cells degrade and recycle their own components. It refers to the cellular mechanism where the cell forms a double-membraned structure called an autophagosome, which engulfs and digests its own cytoplasmic contents, including damaged organelles and misfolded proteins. This recycling process helps maintain cellular homeostasis and plays a crucial role in various physiological and pathological conditions.
Similar spelling word for AUTOPHAGOCYTOSIS
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