Researchers have observed a normal physiological process, called “self-eating”, that cells use to recycle their components. They developed an accurate technique that visualizes how mitochondria, cells’ energy factories, are fused with lysosomes, cells’ recycling machines, in order to get material destroyed and recycled. Since irregularities in this mechanism can lead to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other complications, this research could help future advances in degenerative brain disease diagnosis and drug development.
