Which of the following is a useful marker to detect autophagy in cells?
Autophagy ("self-eating") is the process in which the starved cell eats its own components in an attempt to reduce nutrient demand to match the supply. Some of the cell debris within the autophagic vacuoles may resist digestion and persist in the cytoplasm as membrane-bound residual bodies. An example of residual bodies is lipofuscin granules as shown in above image. Most impoant gene that we associate with autophagy is ATG-3. Autophagy is a process which is also stimulated by protein called BECLIN-1. Most impoant gene responsible for inhibiting Apoptosis is BCL-2. BCL-2 interacts with BECLIN-1 and forms a complex and this complex is responsible for inhibiting AUTOPHAGY. Inhibition of Autophagy increase the risk of malignancy. Marker for Autophagy is a microtubular protein called LC-3 (Microtubule-associated protein light chain 3). LC-3 plays an impoant role in the closure of the autophagosomal membrane and also in elongation step. BAK, BAX, BID are involved with cellular apoptosis.
BAK
BAX
LC3
BID
Apoptosis