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Autophagy Flux

Meaning

Autophagy Flux is the quantitative measure of the complete, dynamic process of cellular self-digestion and recycling, spanning from the initial formation of the autophagosome to the final lysosomal degradation of the sequestered cargo. This metric represents the effective rate at which a cell clears damaged organelles and misfolded proteins, a process essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis. The accurate assessment of flux is clinically superior to merely measuring autophagosome number, which can misleadingly accumulate due to a downstream block. A robust autophagy flux is vital for tissue integrity and is a key determinant of cellular healthspan and longevity.