Molecular modulation of autophagy: New venture to target resistant cancer stem cells

Figure 1 Canonical autophagy pathway. Autophagy is a multistep process that includes the following steps: initiation, nucleation, elongation, maturation and fusion with the lysosome. Several proteins referred to as autophagy related genes regulate this process. Autophagy is stimulated under basal conditions and is induced by stress, for example nutrient deprivation. ATG: Autophagy related genes; ER: Endothelial reticulum; FIP200: FAK family kinase interacting protein of 200 kDa; LC3: Light chain 3; PE: Phosphatidylethanolamine; PI3P: Phosphatidylinositol-3-phospate 3; ULK1: Unc-51-like kinase 1; VPS34: Vacuole protein sorting 34.