Journal of molecular biologyApr 13, 2025

Self-Cleaning Processes and Cell Factory Changes During Cell Development

Longevity & Aging Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Feb 15, 2026

Abstract

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is crucial for protein and lipid synthesis and undergoes extensive remodeling during cellular differentiation.

The ER is a dynamic organelle that supports various cellular processes through its constantly reshaping membrane network.
Cellular differentiation requires significant changes in the ER's structure and protein composition to match new cell functions.
Autophagy, especially ER-phagy, is important for modifying the ER to help cells adapt to developmental changes.
Current understanding of how the dynamics of the ER are regulated remains incomplete.
Transcriptional and post-translational regulation may influence both ER-phagy and the unfolded protein response.

Simplified

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a multifunctional organelle essential for protein and lipid synthesis, ion transport and inter-organelle communication. It comprises a highly dynamic network of membranes that continuously reshape to support a wide range of cellular processes. During cellular differentiation, extensive remodelling of both ER architecture and its proteome is required to accommodate alterations in cell morphology and function. Autophagy, and ER-phagy in particular, plays a pivotal role in reshaping the ER, enabling cells to meet their evolving needs and adapt to developmental cues. Despite the ER's critical role in cellular differentiation, the mechanisms responsible for regulating its dynamics are not fully understood. Emerging evidence suggests that transcriptional and post-translational regulation play a role in fine-tuning ER-phagy and the unfolded protein response (UPR). This review explores the molecular basis of autophagy and ER-phagy, highlighting their role in ER remodelling during cellular differentiation. A deeper understanding of these processes could open new avenues for targeted therapeutic approaches in conditions where ER remodelling is impaired.

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Competing interests

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

PubMed

Self-Cleaning Processes and Cell Factory Changes During Cell Development

Abstract

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Funding

Competing interests

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