Autophagy keeps your blood young

There is something to be said for ‘eating your own,’ at least at the cellular level. Researchers funded by NHLBI demonstrate that autophagy, a process of cellular self-consumption, is essential for the healthy metabolism and function of haematopoietic stem cells, the rare adult stem cells, found in the bone marrow, that produce all blood cell types. The findings, published in Nature, show how autophagy, which is associated with health and longevity, contributes to maintaining the stem cells’ ability to regenerate the blood system.