Open AccessAutophagy in Neurons
Author(s) -
Andrea K.H. Stavoe,
Erika L.F. Holzbaur
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
annual review of cell and developmental biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 11.094
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1530-8995
pISSN - 1081-0706
DOI - 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-100818-125242
Subject(s) - autophagy , microbiology and biotechnology , neurodegeneration , biology , autophagosome , endoplasmic reticulum , mitochondrion , biogenesis , mitophagy , organelle , homeostasis , bag3 , unfolded protein response , apoptosis , biochemistry , medicine , disease , pathology , gene
Autophagy is the major cellular pathway to degrade dysfunctional organelles and protein aggregates. Autophagy is particularly important in neurons, which are terminally differentiated cells that must last the lifetime of the organism. There are both constitutive and stress-induced pathways for autophagy in neurons, which catalyze the turnover of aged or damaged mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, other cellular organelles, and aggregated proteins. These pathways are required in neurodevelopment as well as in the maintenance of neuronal homeostasis. Here we review the core components of the pathway for autophagosome biogenesis, as well as the cell biology of bulk and selective autophagy in neurons. Finally, we discuss the role of autophagy in neuronal development, homeostasis, and aging and the links between deficits in autophagy and neurodegeneration.