This book provides an expert summary of autophagy a relatively new but rapidly expanding field
of biomedical science with important implications in health and disease. After a historical
review ranging up to the identification of autophagy genes in mammals the authors discuss the
signaling pathways that regulate autophagy the mechanism of autophagosome formation and the
physiological roles of autophagy in development ageing neurodegeneration immune function and
cell differentiation. A comprehensive list of useful antibodies for studying autophagy compiled
as a community effort is included at the end. The book is intended for newcomers to the field
as well as more experienced researchers looking for a condensed but comprehensive introduction
to the physiological function and regulation of the autophagic pathway in mammalian organisms.
