Autofagia: un processo fisiopatologico di autodigestione cellulare [Autophagy: a self-eating process in cell physiology and pathology]

摘要: Macroautophagy, commonly referred to as autophagy, is a self-degradation process through which virtually all eukaryotic cells sequester cytoplasmic components (macromolecules, but also entire organelles or microorganisms) into de novo formed, double-membrane vescicles (autophagosomes) and degrade them after lysosomal fusion. The degradation products released from lysosomes are recycled metabolic biosynthetic pathways. Autophagy, normally occurring for ordinary organelle protein turnover, can be enhanced in stress conditions an adaptive, survival response microenvironmental intracellular noxia, including glucose, amino acid growth factors withdrawal, hypoxia, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, infections, cytotoxic drugs. However, excessive long-lasting activation of autophagy culminate peculiar mode cell death. An imbalanced (either unrestrained deficient) plays role the pathogenesis different diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative cardiovascular autoimmune pathologies. In tumor cells, however, proves play ambiguous dual (protective cytotoxic), possibly depending on type, genetic background stage.