Figure 2.

Molecular mechanism of autophagy. Autophagy process is initiated through the formation of the phagophore structure formation. PI3K-AKT and mTOR have been predisposed to form phagophore initiation. Beclin-1, UVRAG, and VPS34 complexes help to initiate phagophore formation. Phagophore nucleation has been extended to autophagosome formation. Binding between mature autophagosomes as well as lysosomes indicates the autolysosome formation. Chloroquine (CQ), Bafilomycin A1 (BAF-A1), and Vinblastine inhibit the binding of lysosomes and autophagosomes. Eventually, autolysosomes will be eliminated by acid hydrolases that produce nutrients as well as recycling metabolites.