title: Evaluation of autophagy using mouse models of brain injury.
abstract: Autophagy is a homeostatic, carefully regulated, and dynamic process for intracellular recycling of bulk proteins, aging organelles, and lipids. Autophagy occurs in all tissues and cell types, including the brain and neurons. Alteration in the dynamics of autophagy has been observed in many diseases of the central nervous system. Disruption of autophagy for an extended period of time results in accumulation of unwanted proteins and neurodegeneration. However, the role of enhanced autophagy after acute brain injury remains undefined. Established mouse models of brain injury will be valuable in clarifying the role of autophagy after brain injury and are the topic of discussion in this review.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Medicine, Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, Brain Trauma Research Center, and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Alicia K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Au
authors.forename: Hülya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bayir
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Kochanek
authors.forename: Robert S B
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009410:Nerve Degeneration