Autophagy is the main catabolic process by which cells recycle cytoplasmic components and superfluous or damaged organelles to preserve metabolic homeostasis under normal conditions and promote survival under stress. As a tightly regulated and dynamic process, autophagy has critical roles in development and cell differentiation, immune function, organismal health and lifespan. Accumulating findings suggest that defective or dysregulated autophagy accelerates ageing and increases susceptibility to diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders and cancer, among others. This virtual issue of the FEBS Journal on Autophagy includes a collection of articles that present recent advances on the regulation of autophagy and provide a view of its complex roles in physiological and pathological contexts.

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自噬机制和作用：最新进展和意义

自噬是主要的分解代谢过程，通过该过程，细胞回收细胞质成分和多余或受损的细胞器，以在正常条件下保持代谢稳态，并在压力下促进存活。自噬作为一个严格调控的动态过程，在发育和细胞分化，免疫功能，机体健康和寿命中起着至关重要的作用。越来越多的发现表明，自噬缺陷或失调会加速衰老并增加对疾病的敏感性，例如神经退行性疾病和癌症。FEBS自噬期刊的虚拟版包括一系列文章，这些文章介绍了自噬调节的最新进展，并提供了其在生理和病理环境中的复杂作用的观点。