Intracellular lipid storage is mediated by lipid droplets. Once considered inert lipid inclusions, these structures are now recognized as ubiquitous, multifunctional organelles at the core of cell biological control of metabolism. Lipid droplet dysfunctions are linked to a range of metabolic diseases including obesity, diabetes, steatohepatitis, and lipodystrophy. Intriguingly, not all lipid droplets are the same. Striking structural and functional differences are regularly observed between the lipid droplets of different tissues and cell types, and even within the lipid droplet pool of a single cell. Here, we discuss the current views on the molecular mechanisms that create and maintain this high degree of lipid droplet heterogeneity.
Maria Bohnert (Fri,) studied this question.