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Phosphoinositides and PIPs

Phosphoinositides and PIPs

Phosphoinositides are a group of phospholipids containing a glycerol backbone with two fatty acid chains and a phosphate attached to a myoinositol sugar ring. The inositol head group extends into the cytoplasm, where it is modified by adding phosphate groups to form phosphatidylinositol phosphates or PIPs.
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IP3/DAG Signaling Pathway

IP3/DAG Signaling Pathway

Membrane lipids such as phosphatidylinositol (PI) are precursors for several membrane-bound and soluble second messengers. Specific kinases phosphorylate PI and produce phosphorylated inositol phospholipids. One such inositol phospholipids are the phosphatidylinositol-4,5 bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2], present in the inner half of the lipid bilayer. Upon ligand binding, GPCR stimulates Gq proteins to turn on phospholipase Cꞵ. Activated phospholipase Cꞵ cleaves PI(4,5)P2 and produces two-second...

Lipids as Anchors

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Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

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Lipid Catabolism

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Isolation of Cellular Lipid Droplets: Two Purification Techniques Starting from Yeast Cells and Human Placentas

Isolation of Cellular Lipid Droplets: Two Purification Techniques Starting from Yeast Cells and Human Placentas

Published on: April 1, 2014

Seipin, adipogenesis and lipid droplets.

Weihua Fei¹, Ximing Du, Hongyuan Yang

¹School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.

Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism: TEM

|April 19, 2011

Summary

Seipin protein is crucial for fat cell development and lipid droplet formation. Its deficiency may disrupt phospholipid metabolism, leading to metabolic disorders like congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL).

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Last Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Isolation of Cellular Lipid Droplets: Two Purification Techniques Starting from Yeast Cells and Human Placentas

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Lipid Droplet Isolation for Quantitative Mass Spectrometry Analysis

Lipid Droplet Isolation for Quantitative Mass Spectrometry Analysis

Published on: April 17, 2017

Area of Science:

Biochemistry
Cell Biology
Genetics

Background:

Seipin is the gene product linked to Berardinelli-Seip congenital lipodystrophy 2.
Seipin regulates adipocyte differentiation and lipid droplet (LD) formation.
The precise molecular function of seipin remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the molecular function of seipin.
To explore the role of phospholipids in congenital generalized lipodystrophies (CGLs).
To hypothesize seipin's function in phospholipid metabolism and its link to CGL.

Main Methods:

Review of recent advances in CGL research.
Analysis of cellular dynamics of LDs.
Hypothesis formulation based on existing evidence.

Main Results:

Phospholipids are increasingly implicated in CGL pathogenesis.
Phospholipids influence LD size and distribution.
Seipin deficiency may alter phospholipid profiles and lipid intermediate accumulation.

Conclusions:

Seipin might function in phospholipid metabolism.
Altered phospholipid profiles due to seipin dysfunction could cause adipocyte defects.
Seipin deficiency may lead to clustered LDs in fibroblasts and impaired adipocyte development.