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November 06, 2004
Autophagy
Researchers learning more every day:
A cell undergoing autophagy assembles tiny capsules called vesicles that surround and chew up parts of the cellular machinery from within. Autophagic vesicles have been seen in cells undergoing programmed cell death, but the evidence is not clear yet whether they're trying to protect the cell from apoptosis, or hastening its demise.
"Autophagy is the only way to get rid of damaged parts of the cell without trashing the whole thing. So in a nerve cell, for example, you'd want autophagy to correct problems without destroying the cell."
High levels of autophagic vesicles also have been noted in some forms of degenerative muscle disease, and in degenerative nervous system diseases like Huntington's, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and ALS, (Lou Gehrig's disease). But it's not clear why the vesicles are accumulating. They may be building up because they aren't being used, or it may be that the distressed cells are producing more vesicles.
Posted by Dave at November 6, 2004 08:16 PM
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