MAP1LC3A and infection: Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway essential for cellular survival, differentiation, development, and homeostasis.17, 40, 41, 42 During disease pathogenesis, autophagy principally serves an adaptive role to protect organisms from pathogen infection and from aging, neurodegeneration, and cancer.16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 LC3 is an indicator of autophagy induction in mammals.