Emerging role of mitophagy in human diseases and physiology

Mitophagy is a process of selective removal of damaged orunnecessary mitochondria using autophagic machinery. Mitophagy plays an essential role in maintaining mitochondrialquality control and homeostasis. Mitochondrial dysfunctionsand defective mitophagy in neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and metabolic diseases indicate a close link betweenhuman disease and mitophagy. Furthermore, recent studiesshowing the involvement of mitophagy in differentiation anddevelopment, suggest that mitophagy may play a more activerole in controlling cellular functions. A better understanding ofmitophagy will provide insights about human disease and offernovel chance for treatment. This review mainly focuses on therecent implications for mitophagy in human diseases andnormal physiology. [BMB Reports 2017; 50(6): 299-307].