# Proteostasis

Proteostasis (short for protein homeostasis) is the network that keeps your proteins working. It controls the whole life cycle of a protein: making it, folding it, moving it, and breaking it down. The key players are ribosomes, folding helpers (chaperones), the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and the autophagy-lysosome pathways. Keeping proteostasis intact is essential for healthy cells. Its gradual failure with age underlies brain diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. And it is recognized as a hallmark of aging.

## Sources

- Balch WE, Morimoto RI, Dillin A, Kelly JW. (2008). Adapting proteostasis for disease intervention. Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1141448
- Labbadia J, Morimoto RI. (2015). The Biology of Proteostasis in Aging and Disease. Annual Review of Biochemistry. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-biochem-060614-033955

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