Current studies have shown that during myocardial ischemia, due to reduced ATP production, Adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is activated, resulting in mTOR inactivation, thereby catalyzing UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1)-induced autophagy. Here, ULK1 is linked to myocardial ischemia.