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A Fluorescence-Based Method To Visualize Lipid Droplet And Organelle Dynamics During Mitosis in Hepatoma Cells
Published on: May 15, 2026
Cellular lipid imaging at the ultrastructural level
Fikadu G Tafesse1, Carsten Schultz2
1Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA; Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
Trends in Cell Biology
|July 31, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed a new method to visualize lipids in cell membranes. This technique revealed how sphingomyelin is sorted within early endosomes at high resolution.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Membrane Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Lipids are essential components of biological membranes, crucial for cellular structure and function.
- Visualizing specific lipid species within subcellular organelles at high resolution has been a significant challenge in cell biology.
- Understanding lipid organization is key to deciphering membrane trafficking and organelle function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel microscopy technique for high-resolution lipid mapping within organelles.
- To investigate the precise localization and dynamics of specific lipids, such as sphingomyelin, in the early endosome.
- To bridge the gap between membrane ultrastructure and lipid composition using correlative microscopy.
Main Methods:
- Introduction of Lipid-correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM), a specialized workflow.
- Application of CLEM to map lipid species with nanoscale precision onto membrane ultrastructure.
- Utilizing advanced imaging techniques to visualize lipid distribution within subcellular compartments.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated the capability of Lipid-CLEM to visualize lipid species within subcellular organelles.
- Achieved nanoscale precision in mapping lipid distribution relative to membrane ultrastructure.
- Uncovered evidence of active sphingomyelin sorting occurring within the early endosome.
Conclusions:
- Lipid-CLEM provides an unprecedented tool for visualizing lipid organization in cellular membranes.
- The study reveals dynamic lipid sorting processes, specifically sphingomyelin trafficking, in the early endosome.
- This advancement opens new avenues for studying membrane lipidomics and organelle function.
