Raman imaging and lipidomic analysis of lipid droplets in (activated) hepatic stellate cells

Abstract

In eukaryotic cells the excess of hydrophobic molecules is stored in special organelles named lipid droplets (LDs). These droplets contain triacylglycerides, cholesteryl esters and/or retinyl esters, depending on the function of the cell in which they reside. Retinyl esters, the storage form of vitamin A, are mainly stored in LDs in hepatic stellate cells (HSC), which comprise about 5–10% of total liver cells.