Cellular Processes and Components

Autophagy, derived from ancient Greek, means "eating of self". Autophagy is the way cells break down misbehaving or nonfunctional organelles and proteins in the cell. This means that autophagy can consume organelles, such as mitochondria, peroxisomes, and the endoplasmic reticulum. Despite its noxious-sounding name, autophagy serves more of a protective role than a harmful one.
Read More

A lysosome is a membrane-bound organelle, a subcellular structure that performs one or more tasks within the cell, much like an organ does in the body. They are part of the overall machinery of our cells along with other important cell organelles, which include the nuclei, the mitochondria, and ribosomes. Lysosomes are the garbage disposal units of our cells, roaming around digesting cellular waste with their specialized enzymes and recycling excess or worn-out cell parts.
Read More