HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Kovsan, J. Articles by Rudich, A. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kovsan, J. Articles by Rudich, A.

PERSPECTIVES

Potential role of autophagy in modulation of lipid metabolism

¹Ben-Gurion University of the Negev ²Tufts University School of Medicine

Submitted 11 September 2009 ; revised 29 October 2009 ; accepted in final form 29 October 2009

Autophagy is a major degradative pathway(s) by which intracellular components are delivered into the lysosomes. It is largely implicated in determining cell death and survival, because it eliminates un-necessary, damaged, and/or potentially harmful cellular products and organelles, and is an important source for nutrients and energy production under conditions of external nutrient deficiency. As such, autophagy has been suggested to contribute to the regulation of carbohydrate and protein metabolism during fasting. Recently, three papers implicated a role for autophagy in cellular lipid metabolism as well. This perspective article presents these novel findings in the context of prior studies on the role of autophagy and lysosomes in metabolic and energy regulation, discusses their points of agreement and opposing propositions, and outlines key outstanding questions.

autophagy; metabolic regulation; lipid metabolism; lipolysis