Autophagy in dentistry: A mini revew

Abstract

The word Autophagy is derived from the Greek which means eating of self. It is a catabolic process involving the degradation of aberrant cellular components through lysosomal hydrolysis. It has also been regarded as a pivotal cellular event for stem cell protection from damages caused by extrinsic factors. The three types of autophagy are macro-autophagy, micro-autophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy. This review attempts to highlight the association of autophagy with various oral conditions.