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Review
. 2019 Oct 6:35:477-500.
doi: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-100818-125242. Epub 2019 Jul 23.

Autophagy in Neurons

Andrea K H Stavoe  1 , Erika L F Holzbaur  1
Affiliations
Review

Autophagy in Neurons

Andrea K H Stavoe et al. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol. .

Abstract

Autophagy is the major cellular pathway to degrade dysfunctional organelles and protein aggregates. Autophagy is particularly important in neurons, which are terminally differentiated cells that must last the lifetime of the organism. There are both constitutive and stress-induced pathways for autophagy in neurons, which catalyze the turnover of aged or damaged mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, other cellular organelles, and aggregated proteins. These pathways are required in neurodevelopment as well as in the maintenance of neuronal homeostasis. Here we review the core components of the pathway for autophagosome biogenesis, as well as the cell biology of bulk and selective autophagy in neurons. Finally, we discuss the role of autophagy in neuronal development, homeostasis, and aging and the links between deficits in autophagy and neurodegeneration.

Keywords: ERphagy; aggrephagy; autophagy; mitophagy; neurodegeneration; neuronal homeostasis.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. The spatial organization of autophagy in neurons.
A cartoon neuron is depicted with the different forms of autophagy in spatially distinct neuronal compartments: (1) nonselective autophagy in the distal axon and (2) aggrephagy, (3) ERphagy, and (4) mitophagy in the soma. For the types of selective autophagy (2–4), relevant LIRs are depicted by red boxes on the autophagy receptors. In aggrephagy (2), WDR81 performs a synonymous function to ALFY (depicted). In ERphagy (3), RTN3 acts in a similar manner to FAM134b (depicted).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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