title: Mitophagy: Basic Mechanism and Potential Role in Kidney Diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mitochondria play fundamental roles in cellular metabolism, signaling, and viability. Disruption of mitochondria not only leads to dysfunction of the organelles but also activates mechanisms of cell injury and death, contributing to the pathogenesis of various diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Removal of damaged mitochondria is therefore crucial for cellular homeostasis and survival. Mitophagy, the selective elimination of mitochondria via autophagy, is an important mechanism of mitochondrial quality control in physiological and pathological conditions. Defects in mitophagy have been implicated in a variety of human disorders, including both acute and chronic kidney diseases. However, the role and regulatory mechanisms of mitophagy in kidney cells and tissues remain largely unknown.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review provides updated information on mitophagy and suggests a potential role of mitophagy in renal pathophysiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Chengyuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Liyu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University and Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, Ga., USA.
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dong
keywords: Cell death; Kidney diseases; Mitochondria; Mitophagy