self-digestion
Definition
Noun: 1. Autolysis: The breakdown or destruction of cells or tissues of an organism by its own enzymes, typically occurring after death or in some pathological conditions. This is an internal, self-contained process.
Usage
- The term is used primarily in biological and medical contexts to describe a specific, internal degradative process.
- It often refers to a natural post-mortem change or to a cellular process within living organisms under certain conditions.
Examples
- After the cell's death, self-digestion begins as its own lysosomal enzymes break down its components.
- The pathologist noted signs of self-digestion in the pancreatic tissue sample.
- In some diseases, the process of self-digestion can damage healthy organs.
Advanced Usage
- The concept is central to understanding autophagy, a regulated form of cellular self-digestion that removes damaged components and can provide energy during starvation.
- In a figurative sense, rarely, it can describe a process of intense, inward-focused analysis or criticism that is destructive to the self or a group.
Variants and Related Words
- Autolysis (n): The technical synonym for self-digestion.
- Autophagia (n): Often used interchangeably with autophagy, referring specifically to the consumption of the body's own tissues.
- Autolytic (adj): Relating to or causing self-digestion (e.g., autolytic enzymes).
Synonyms
- Autolysis
- Self-lysis
Notes on Meaning
- The core meaning is strictly biological. It describes a literal, internal chemical breakdown.
- It should not be confused with digestion of food by stomach acids, which is an external process relative to the body's own tissues.
Noun
-
lysis of plant or animal tissue by an internal process
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