The Lipid Droplet and the Endoplasmic Reticulum

Abstract

Lipid droplets (LDs) are often found adjacent to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The ER-LD association may appear morphologically similar to the prototypical membrane contact sites found between the ER and other organelles, but the functional relationship between the ER and LDs is unique in that highly hydrophobic lipid esters are transported between them. This transportation is thought to occur through some form of membrane continuity, but its details are yet to be defined. Lipin, seipin, and FIT proteins, which are located at the ER-LD interface, may be involved in the lipid ester transport and probably play important roles for functional connectivity of the two organelles. More recently, LDs in the nucleus were found to be closely adhered to the inner nuclear membrane, representing a specialized form of the ER-LD association. In this article, we will give an overview of the ER-LD association, which is still filled with many unanswered questions.

Keywords: Cholesterol ester; Endoplasmic reticulum; FIT protein; Lipid droplet; Lipid ester; Lipin; Nuclear membrane; Phospholipid monolayer; Seipin; Triglyceride.