Functional interplay of lipid droplets and mitochondria

Lipid droplets (LDs) make physical contacts with various organelles in eukaryotic cells including mitochondria. The existence of these contacts is well-known but poorly described. Here, we review recent advances in the understanding of the physical and functional links between LDs and mitochondria, and their implications in fatty acid transfer, cell signaling, and various diseases. Our body stores energy mostly in form of fatty acids (FAs) in lipid droplets (LDs). From there the FAs can be mobilized and transferred to peroxisomes and mitochondria. This transfer is dependent on close opposition of LDs and mitochondria and peroxisomes and happens at membrane contact sites. However, the composition and the dynamics of these contact sites is not well understood, which is in part due to the dependence on the metabolic state of the cell and on the cell- and tissue-type. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on the contacts between lipid droplets and mitochondria both in mammals and in the yeastSaccharomyces  cerevisiae, in which various contact sites are well studied. We discuss possible functions of the contact site and their implication in disease.
Source: FEBS Letters - Category: Biochemistry Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research