Abstract
Lipid droplets are dynamic organelles that store neutral lipids, serve the metabolic needs of cells, and sequester lipids to prevent lipotoxicity and membrane damage. Here we review the current understanding of the mechanisms of lipid droplet biogenesis and turnover, the transfer of lipids and metabolites at membrane contact sites, and the role of lipid droplets in regulating fatty acid flux in lipotoxicity and cell death.
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Acknowledgements
This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health to J.A.O. (R01GM112948 and R01DK128099) and a predoctoral fellowship from the National Science Foundation to A.J.M. J.A.O. is a Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator. We thank W. M. Henne, S. Banerjee and M. A. Roberts for critical reading and discussions.
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J.A.O. is a member of the scientific advisory board for Vicinitas Therapeutics and has patent applications related to ferroptosis. A.J.M. has no competing interests.
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Mathiowetz, A.J., Olzmann, J.A. Lipid droplets and cellular lipid flux. Nat Cell Biol 26, 331–345 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-024-01364-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-024-01364-4
