Study Overview
Autophagy is a fundamental cellular degradation process where cells break down damaged or unnecessary proteins and organelles, recycling them into new components to maintain intracellular homeostasis. This mechanism is critical for cellular health, and its dysfunction is linked to aging, cancer, and the progression of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Consequently, autophagy is a major focus of current biomedical research. In this assay, we determine if substances are able to promote autophagy.
Study example
Using the high-content screening instruments Operetta CLS and Opera Phenix Plus that we possess, we are able to analyse the state of autophagy in living cells with high precision and throughput.
Basic Experimental design
| Cells used | Various cells such as liver cells and nerve cells |
|---|---|
| Measurement items | Autophagy fluorescent staining and quantification |
References
●Longevity and autophagy
The role of autophagy in aging: its essential part in the anti-aging mechanism of caloric restriction
Bergamini E, Cavallini G, Donati A, Gori Z., Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2007
●Age-related decline in autophagy
Autophagic activity in thymus and liver during aging
Uddin MN, Nishio N, Ito S, Suzuki H, Isobe K., Age. 2012
●Cancer and autophagy
Role of autophagy in cancer
Mathew R, Karantza-Wadsworth V, White E., Nat Rev Cancer. 2007
●Alzheimer disease and autophagy
Extensive involvement of autophagy in Alzheimer disease: an immuno-electron microscopy study
Nixon RA, Wegiel J, Kumar A, Yu WH, Peterhoff C, Cataldo A, Cuervo AM., J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2005
●Parkinson’s disease and autophagy
NDP52 interacts with mitochondrial RNA poly(A) polymerase to promote mitophagy
Furuya N, Kakuta S, Sumiyoshi K, Ando M, Nonaka R, Suzuki A, Kazuno S, Saiki S, Hattori N., EMBO Rep. 2018
*All our studies are mainly performed and handled by our team of PhD scientists.
