Xeno-Cannibalism "Escamotage"

ABSTRACT Several lines of evidence have demonstrated that self-cannibalism (macroautophagy)is a well regulated process of cell repair as well as of molecule and organelle recyclingthat allows the cells to survive. However, autophagic activity also represents a cell deathpathway characterized by specific features that differentiate autophagy from other celldeath processes. We found that cells that are able to exert intense autophagic activitywere also able to engulf and digest entire cell siblings. This phenomenon represents asort of xeno-cannibalism. We wonder whether these two phenomena, self and xeno-cannibalism, could be related the latter being an exacerbation of the first and providinga further survival option to the cells. ONE WAY FOR LIFE AND DEATH: AUTOPHAGY Unicellular organisms, as well as single cells from multicellular organisms, have beendescribed as capable of concentrating all their efforts for their feeding necessities, a prerequisite for survival and/or proliferation. Among these attempts, the ability to developphagocytic vacuoles containing their own damaged or injured organelles and subcellulardebris have been described for many years.