The first time autophagy was described was in 1963. Autophagy is a “recycling” function in where cells rid the intracellular substances, such as organelles and proteins, within themselves. When it comes to understanding autophagy, it is important to gain insight into the role it plays in cell homeostasis and development and what happens when autophagy is induced. To detect autophagy, there are various commercially available kits and antibodies to help you do so.