# Mitophagy

Mitophagy is your cells' way of recycling broken mitochondria. It is a selective form of autophagy. It targets damaged or 'depolarized' mitochondria. It then ships them to the lysosome for disposal. The best-known route is the PINK1/Parkin pathway. Other routes work through receptors and do not need Parkin. By clearing out dud mitochondria, mitophagy helps limit oxidative stress. It also keeps your energy supply healthy. When it falters, that is linked to brain decline, muscle loss (sarcopenia), and heart aging. And compounds like urolithin A are studied for boosting mitophagy, including in older and middle-aged adults.

## Sources

- Pickrell AM, Youle RJ. (2015). The roles of PINK1, parkin, and mitochondrial fidelity in Parkinson's disease. Neuron. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2014.12.007
- Vives-Bauza C, Zhou C, Huang Y, et al.. (2010). PINK1-dependent recruitment of Parkin to mitochondria in mitophagy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0911187107

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_Canonical: https://longevity-switzerland.com/en/glossary/mitophagy · Part of Longevity Cities · Updated 2026-06-22_