Round-shaped intracellular inclusions consisting of hydrophobic cores (mainly triacylglycerols, sterol esters, occasionally free fatty acids or squalene) covered by a phospholipid monolayer containing a specific set of proteins.
Note: Originally considered as lipid storage compartments, lipid droplets are currently recognised as organelles with high metabolic activity. The defective formation and/or function of lipid droplets is involved in various pathogenic conditions, such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, or metabolic syndrome.
Source:
PAC, 2018, 90, 1121. 'Terminology of bioanalytical methods (IUPAC Recommendations 2018)' on page 1177 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2016-1120)