Balance between autophagy and cell death is maintained by Polycomb-mediated regulation during stem cell differentiation.

Autophagy is a conserved cytoprotective process, aberrations in which lead to numerous degenerative disorders. While the cytoplasmic components of autophagy have been extensively studied, the epigenetic regulation of autophagy genes, especially in stem cells, is less understood. Deciphering the epigenetic regulation of autophagy genes becomes increasingly relevant given the therapeutic benefits of small-molecule epigenetic inhibitors in novel treatment modalities.