The ‘molecular’ life of lipid droplets, dynamic lipid storage compartments with functions way beyond nutrient storage has recently been described by Associate Professor Robin Klemm at DPAG and Prof Pedro Carvalho at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology. In their article ‘Lipid droplets big and small: Basic Mechanisms to make them all’ now published in the Annual Reviews of Cell and Developmental Biology they present a unified view on the evolutionarily conserved mechanisms that underlie the biogenesis of this fascinating organelle.
After a first section on the newest concepts in lipid droplet biology, the authors venture into uncharted territory within the field and present a detailed discussion around open questions such as the molecular basis of fatty acid uptake by cells and how dietary fat converges on the Lipid Droplet with de novo synthesised fat. They conclude with a fascinating perspective highlighting the importance of Lipid Droplet diversity in general metabolic homeostasis and provide insight into the size control of fat depots in our cells. Particular emphasis is given to the importance of membrane contact sites with other organelles and Lipid Droplet size control.