Recent advances in label-free imaging and quantification techniques for the study of lipid droplets in cells.

Journal: Current opinion in cell biology
PMID:

Abstract

Lipid droplets (LDs), once considered mere storage depots for lipids, have gained recognition for their intricate roles in cellular processes, including metabolism, membrane trafficking, and disease states like obesity and cancer. This review explores label-free imaging techniques' applications in LD research. We discuss holotomography and vibrational spectroscopic microscopy, emphasizing their potential for studying LDs without molecular labels, and we highlight the growing integration of artificial intelligence. Clinical applications in disease diagnosis and therapy are also considered.

Authors

  • Hyeonwoo Kim
    Department of Bioinformatics, Soongsil University, Seoul 06978, Republic of Korea.
  • Seungeun Oh
    Department of Physics, Department of Cellular Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA 2093, USA.
  • Seongsoo Lee
    Gwangju Center , Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) , Gwangju , 61186 , Korea.
  • Kwang Suk Lee
    Department of Urology, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • YongKeun Park
    Department of Physics, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea. yk.park@kaist.ac.kr.