Autophagy: A Complex Process with Tightly Coordinated Machinery

Autophagy is a complex process that requires intricate coordination of various machinery. It involves multiple stages, including initiation, vesicle elongation, autophagosome maturation, docking and fusion of autophagosomes, as well as vesicle breakdown and degradation [1] (see Figure 1). Numerous molecules participate in this process [1][15], with over 30 autophagy-related proteins and more than 20 autophagy-related molecules identified to date [16].