Advances and challenges in lipid droplet isolation from animal tissues and cells

Lipid droplets (LDs) are essential intracellular organelles involved in lipid storage and metabolism, playing critical roles in various cellular processes and diseases. Researchers require efficiently isolate and analyze LDs to understand lipid metabolism and related pathologies. This review summarizes recent advances in LD isolation methods, including traditional techniques such as centrifugation and density gradient centrifugation, as well as emerging technologies like automated and high-throughput approaches. We explore the applications of these methods in lipid metabolism research and discuss the challenges faced by current isolation techniques. Future directions, including automation, single-cell analysis, and integration with advanced analytical tools, are also highlighted to provide insights for the next generation of LD research.