Figure 2.

Schematic representation of the different phases of autolysosome formation. (A) Initiation/nucleation: a deficiency of nutrients induces autophagy and with it the formation of an insulating membrane to envelop damaged proteins and organelles. (B,C) Elongation and maturation: the phagophore elongates its double membrane to become a fully-closed mature autophagosome. (D,E) Fusion and degradation: the autophagosome fuses with a lysosome to form an autolysosome, digesting the material by enzymes (lipases and proteases). (Created in part with smart.servier.com, accessed date 20 February 2021).