autophagy
noun
- cellular catabolic process in which cells digest parts of their own cytoplasm
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ɔˈtɑfəd͡ʒi/
noun
Etymology: From auto- + -phagy.
- The process of self-digestion by a cell through the action of enzymes originating within the same cell, and often a defensive or self-preservation measure.
“Near-synonym: autocytolysis”
- A type of programmed cell death accomplished through self-digestion.
- Self-consumption; the act of eating oneself.