self-digestion

Thân thiện

A scientist observes self-digestion in a plant cell under a microscope.

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.

Học thuật

Noun

1. lysis of plant or animal tissue by an internal process

Từ đồng nghĩa

• autolysis