Autofagiaa

Autofagiaa is a term that appears occasionally as a variant spelling of autofagia, more commonly known as autophagy. In scientific use, autophagy describes the cellular process by which cytoplasmic components are sequestered in autophagosomes and delivered to lysosomes for degradation and recycling. The process is evolutionarily conserved and exists in several forms, most notably macroautophagy, microautophagy, and chaperone-mediated autophagy. While autofagiaa is not the standard nomenclature, it is sometimes encountered as a misspelling or regional variant of autophagy.

Macroautophagy begins with initiation by the ULK1 complex in response to nutrient or energy stress, followed by nucleation via the class III PI3K complex. Expansion requires ATG proteins and LC3 conjugation, forming an autophagosome that sequesters cytoplasmic cargo and then fuses with a lysosome to create an autolysosome for degradation.

Autophagy supports energy homeostasis, organelle turnover, and quality control, especially during starvation. It also contributes to development, immune defense, and adaptation to stress. Dysregulation is linked to neurodegenerative diseases, infections, cancer, and aging, with autophagy playing protective or promoting roles depending on context.

Regulation by nutrient-sensing pathways is centered on mTOR and AMPK. Pharmacological modulation includes rapamycin (mTOR inhibitor) to activate autophagy and chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine to block lysosomal degradation. Research explores autophagy-targeted therapies for cancer, neurodegeneration, infections, and longevity, though clinical outcomes remain nuanced.

Autophagy was first observed in yeast and later characterized across organisms. Yoshinori Ohsumi's findings earned the 2016 Nobel Prize. The term autophagy comes from Greek auto- 'self' and phagein 'to eat'.