Cited by 986Lipid metabolism and biosynthesisCancer, Lipids, and MetabolismLipid metabolism and disorders

The biophysics and cell biology of lipid droplets

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Thiam, Abdou Rachid, Farese Jr, Robert V., Walther, Tobias C.·2013·Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology

Abstract

Lipid droplets are intracellular organelles that are found in most cells, where they have fundamental roles in metabolism. They function prominently in storing oil-based reserves of metabolic energy and components of membrane lipids. Lipid droplets are the dispersed phase of an oil-in-water emulsion in the aqueous cytosol of cells, and the importance of basic biophysical principles of emulsions for lipid droplet biology is now being appreciated. Because of their unique architecture, with an interface between the dispersed oil phase and the aqueous cytosol, specific mechanisms underlie their formation, growth and shrinkage. Such mechanisms enable cells to use emulsified oil when the demands for metabolic energy or membrane synthesis change. The regulation of the composition of the phospholipid surfactants at the surface of lipid droplets is crucial for lipid droplet homeostasis and protein targeting to their surfaces.

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  • In the absence of APOE, higher surface tension would make lowering the surface area to volume ratio of lipid droplets via Oswalt ripening more thermodynamically favorable.

    “In the absence of APOE, higher surface tension would make lowering the surface area to volume ratio of LDs via Oswalt ripening more thermodynamically favorable (Thiam et al., 2013).”

    From APOE traffics to astrocyte lipid droplets and modulates triglyceride saturation and droplet size (2024) · cites this paper as Thiam et al., 2013

    In “Mechanisms and Consequences of Emulsion Destabilization” (page unavailable), the paper says ripening minimizes interfacial surface energy and that greater surface tension increases the Laplace-pressure difference driving Ostwald ripening. It does not say that absence of APOE raises lipid-droplet surface tension; it also cautions that conventional Ostwald ripening is difficult to envisage between lipid droplets because their core lipids are nearly insoluble in water. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Authors
Thiam, A. R., Farese Jr, R. V., & Walther, T. C.
Affiliations
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
  • Yale University (US)
Corresponding author
Walther, Tobias C.
Venue
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology
Published
2013-11-13
Volume
14
Issue
12
Pages
775-786
ISSN
  • 1471-0072 (ISSN-L)
  • 1471-0080
OpenAlex
W1985156966
Cited by
986
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 61 · 2025: 68 · 2024: 104 · 2023: 78 · 2022: 77 · 2021: 101 · 2020: 77 · 2019: 68 · 2018: 91 · 2017: 87 · 2016: 73 · 2015: 59 · 2014: 39 · 2013: 2
FWCI
5.26
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R01GM099844, R01GM097194)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (P30DK026743)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Lipid metabolism and biosynthesis
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer, Lipids, and Metabolism
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Lipid metabolism and disorders
Keywords
lipid droplets, emulsions, oil-in-water emulsions, lipid droplet formation, lipid droplet homeostasis, membrane lipid synthesis
MeSH terms
Animals, Humans, Membrane Fluidity, Membrane Lipids, Protein Binding, Surface Tension, Organelles, Lipid Metabolism, Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions

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