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Definition of "autophagy" []

  • The process of self-digestion by a cell through the action of enzymes originating within the same cell. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "autophagy" in a sentence
  • "This process is called autophagy literally, self-eating, and it has an important role in other parts of the body to provide energy in times of starvation."
  • "The modified adenovirus homed in on malignant glioma cells in mice and induced enough self-cannibalization among the cancer cells — a process called autophagy — to reduce tumor size and extend survival, says senior author Seiji Kondo, M.D., Ph."
  • "When the body is starved of nutrition brain cells start eating themselves - a process called autophagy - to keep energy levels up."