The term 'autophagy' was chosen to distinguish the lysosomal degradation, or 'eating' (phagy), of part of the cell's self (auto) from the breakdown of extracellular material (heterophagy).
Researchers from University of Athens and National Centre For Scientific Research “Demokritos” have reported preclinical data from a study that aimed to assess the novel cryptochrome-2 (CRY2) ...