Autophagy: what is it?

Cleansing the body of harmful substances - a question that is being given much attention today, not only scientists, but also ordinary people. And what only people do not seem to do for themselves: they drink purified juices, sit on detox-diets, drink a lot of water, make enemas, consume all sorts of medicines and conjure over the stove, glancing at pieces of paper with folk recipes.

The concept of "autophagy", if translated from the Greek language, means "self-eating". The essence of this process lies in the utilization (processing) of macromolecules and organelles (components necessary for the existence of cells) in cellular compartments (isolated regions) that are formed by the fusion of lysosomes (cellular organelles) with autophagosomes (structures formed around damaged cells). But this is a purely scientific definition.

Autophagy is accompanied by the vital activity of all normal cells under normal conditions. However, excessive autophagy can lead to cell death, which is why today it is considered as a form of programmable cell death along with such processes as necrosis and apoptosis.