A liver cell wraps one aging mitochondrion in a double-membraned vesicle that soon merges with a lysosome. What is this recycling maneuver called?

Core Concept

Autophagy sequesters surplus or damaged organelles inside autophagosomes that deliver them to lysosomes for enzymatic breakdown. Freed amino acids and lipids return to the cytosol for reuse, letting cells remodel themselves during fasting or stress. Organelle-level turnover like this sustains the cell without sacrificing it entirely.