Chaperone-mediated autophagy—mechanisms and disease role

Autophagy is a process in which proteins and organelles are degraded via the lysosome to maintain or remodel cellular homeostasis. In mammals, three autophagic pathways have been described: macroautophagy (frequently referred to as autophagy), chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA), and endosomal microautophagy. Among these mechanisms, CMA is principally the one mediating lysosomal degradation of specific cytosolic proteins. This chapter focuses on the molecular mechanism regulating CMA and the primary pathophysiological processes in which it is involved, such as lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, neurodegeneration, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.