Macroautophagy

Macroautophagy, often simply called autophagy, is a natural process cells use to clean up and recycle damaged or unnecessary parts. Think of it as the cell’s waste disposal system—when components like old proteins or worn-out organelles become harmful or inefficient, they’re enclosed in a double-layer membrane, forming a structure called an autophagosome. This then merges with a lysosome, which breaks down the contents into basic building blocks that the cell can reuse. This process helps maintain cell health, adapt to stress, and can even play a role in aging and disease prevention.