Methods for modulating lysosome-mediated microautophagy of a lipid or protein substrate in a cell are provided herein. In certain embodiments, said methods may comprise increasing lysosome-mediated microautophagy by treating the cell with a microautophagy-enhancing agent which increases lysosomal association-dissociation events between lysosomes and the cellular lipid or protein substrate and/or increases lysosomal degradation capacity; or decreasing lysosome-mediated microautophagy by treating the cell with a microautophagy-reducing agent which reduces lysosomal association-dissociation events between lysosomes and the cellular lipid or protein substrate and/or decreases lysosomal degradation capacity; thereby modulating lysosome-mediated microautophagy of the lipid or protein substrate.