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Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Exploring the Regulation of Lipid Droplet Catabolism through Lipophagy
Published on: January 31, 2025
The multifaceted roles of fatty acid synthesis in cancer
Florian Röhrig1,2, Almut Schulze1,2
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Boveri Institute, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany.
Abstract:
Lipid metabolism, in particular the synthesis of fatty acids (FAs), is an essential cellular process that converts nutrients into metabolic intermediates for membrane biosynthesis, energy storage and the generation of signalling molecules. This Review explores how different aspects of FA synthesis promote tumorigenesis and tumour progression. FA synthesis has received substantial attention as a potential target for cancer therapy, but strategies to target this process have not yet translated into clinical practice. Furthermore, efforts to target this pathway must consider the influence of the tumour microenvironment.
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