Mitophagy

Mitophagy describes the selective targeting and degradation of mitochondria by the autophagy pathway. In this process, defective mitochondria are first purged from the mitochondrial network then delivered to the lysosome by the autophagy machinery. Mitophagy has emerged as a key facet of mitochondrial quality control and has been implicated in a variety of human diseases. Disturbances in the cellular control of mitophagy can result in a dysfunctional mitochondrial network with grave implications for high energy demanding tissue. The present chapter reviews the recent advancements in the study of mitophagy mechanisms and regulation.