Autophagy is a bulk protein degradation system that likely plays an important role in normal
proximal tubule function and recovery from acute ischemic kidney injury. Using conditional
Atg5 gene deletion to eliminate autophagy in the proximal tubule, we determined whether
autophagy prevents accumulation of damaged proteins and organelles with aging and
ischemic renal injury. Autophagy-deficient cells accumulated deformed mitochondria and
cytoplasmic inclusions, leading to cellular hypertrophy and eventual degeneration not …