The breakdown or self-destruction of cells or tissues by their own enzymes, occurring naturally during processes like programmed cell death or abnormally in certain diseases like pancreatitis.
Combines auto- (self) + digestion (breaking down). A medical term from the late 1800s-early 1900s describing cellular processes where cells essentially eat themselves from within.
Autodigestion sounds like a medical disaster, but it's actually a crucial survival mechanism—your body deliberately destroys certain cells to prevent cancer, remove damaged tissue, and maintain health, in a process called autophagy that's now a major area of aging research.
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