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Updated: Oct 2, 2025

Lipid Droplet Isolation for Quantitative Mass Spectrometry Analysis
Published on: April 17, 2017
Lipid droplets of protozoan parasites: survival and pathogenicity
Victor de Souza Tavares1, Monara Viera de Castro1, Rayane da Silva Oliveira Souza1
1Universidade Federal do Oeste da Bahia, Centro das Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Núcleo de Estudos de Agentes Infecciosos e Vetores, Barreiras, BA, Brasil.
Abstract:
Lipid droplets (LDs; lipid bodies) are intracellular sites of lipid storage and metabolism present in all cell types. Eukaryotic LDs are involved in eicosanoid production during several inflammatory conditions, including infection by protozoan parasites. In parasites, LDs play a role in the acquisition of cholesterol and other neutral lipids from the host. The number of LDs increases during parasite differentiation, and the biogenesis of these organelles use specific signaling pathways involving protein kinases. In addition, LDs are important in cellular protection against lipotoxicity. Recently, these organelles have been implicated in eicosanoid and specialised lipid metabolism. In this article, we revise the main functions of protozoan parasite LDs and discuss future directions in the comprehension of these organelles in the context of pathogen virulence.
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