Autophagy in Normal Stem Cells and Specialized Cells

Autophagy, the intracellular degradation and dynamic recycling system, plays critical roles in pluripotent and differentiated cells. It protects the homeostasis of the intracellular environment and maintains the functions of cells by degrading and recycling cytoplasmic components. Autophagy is associated with the entire life cycle of the body, from the totipotent fertilized egg to the terminally differentiated cell. However, autophagy also plays distinct roles in these different life stages and in specific cell types. Here, we summarize the functions of autophagy in normal stem cells and in specialized cells.