Question: What is the purpose of lipid droplets?
Answer: Lipid droplets serve as storage units for fats within cells.
Their general purpose is to help cells survive stress by safely storing excess
fat.
Specifically, in the context of microglia in Alzheimer's disease:
• Microglia initially accumulate toxic free fatty acids.
• With the help of the DGAT2 enzyme, these fatty acids are converted into triacylglycerols, which are then stored inside lipid droplets. This conversion and storage mechanism is a way for the cells to handle and contain the accumulated lipids.
• While this can be a protective response under normal cellular stress, in microglia that are chronically exposed to amyloid-beta (Aβ), this once-protective response turns harmful. The build-up of lipids in these droplets ultimately disrupts the microglia's ability to engulf and digest more Aβ, leading to microglial dysfunction and contributing to Alzheimer's progression.
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