The Phase of Fat: The mechanisms and physiology of fat storage
Robert V. Farese, Jr.1 and Tobias C. Walther 1,2
1 Harvard Medical School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
2 Howard Hughes Institute of Medical Sciences
All organisms face fluctuations in the availability and need for metabolic energy. To buffer these fluctuations, cells use neutral lipids, such as triglycerides, as energy stores. We study how lipids are stored as neutral lipids in cytosolic lipid droplet organelles. Specifically, we investigate the molecular processes that govern the synthesis of energy storage lipids as well as their storage in and mobilization from lipid droplets. In modern societies, individuals often face metabolic energy excess, leading to metabolic diseases. We will present our studies on the causal link between energy excess and metabolic disease.