Abstract
Almost all eukaryotic cells have the capacity to form lipid droplets (LDs) in conditions of excess energy. Traditionally thought to be just inert fat reservoirs, LDs have recently emerged as important metabolic regulators of cellular stress response that buffer excess free fats and protect cells from lipotoxicity. Ceramide is a bioactive lipid that accumulates in metabolic tissues during fat oversupply. Emerging evidence suggests that sphingolipids and sphingolipid-metabolizing enzymes are found in the LDs and affect LD biogenesis and functions. This article aims to summarize the evidence, delineate some plausible functions of ceramide in hepatic LD biogenesis, and illustrate some of the challenges in this novel field of research. We focus on the biogenesis of LDs in hepatocytes, the parenchymal cells of the liver, because non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the quintessential manifestation of metabolic stress caused by fat oversupply.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2025
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20253042
Funding Information
This work was supported by grants from National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases R01 DK135267 (to MNK), from National Institute of Aging R01AG 019223 (to MNK)
Repository Citation
Robles-Martinez, Leobarda; Morin, Kylie H.; and Nikolova‑Karakashian, Mariana, "Ceramide homeostasis in hepatic lipid droplets" (2025). Physiology Faculty Publications. 193.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/physiology_facpub/193
Notes/Citation Information
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society and distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC BY).