Lipids in cell biology: how can we understand them better?

Eleonora Muro; G. Ekin Atilla-Gokcumen; Ulrike S. Eggert

doi:10.1091/mbc.E13-09-0516

Lipids in cell biology: how can we understand them better?

Eleonora Muro, G. Ekin Atilla-Gokcumen, Ulrike S. Eggert^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

University at Buffalo, SUNY

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

172 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Lipids are a major class of biological molecules and play many key roles in different processes. The diversity of lipids is on the same order of magnitude as that of proteins: cells express tens of thousands of different lipids and hundreds of proteins to regulate their metabolism and transport. Despite their clear importance and essential functions, lipids have not been as well studied as proteins. We discuss here some of the reasons why it has been challenging to study lipids and outline technological developments that are allowing us to begin lifting lipids out of their "Cinderella" status. We focus on recent advances in lipid identification, visualization, and investigation of their biophysics and perturbations and suggest that the field has sufficiently advanced to encourage broader investigation into these intriguing molecules.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1819-1823
Number of pages	5
Journal	Mol Biol Cell
Volume	25
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1091/mbc.E13-09-0516
Publication status	Published - 15 Jun 2014

Keywords

PLASMA-MEMBRANE
LIVING CELLS
MASS-SPECTROMETRY
CYTOKINESIS
LIPIDOMICS
MOLECULES
DATABASE
METLIN
ACIDS
AFM

Access to Document

10.1091/mbc.E13-09-0516

Cite this

@article{6eb27f6ea31c4677bd9a2ce80f7a9831,

title = "Lipids in cell biology: how can we understand them better?",

abstract = "Lipids are a major class of biological molecules and play many key roles in different processes. The diversity of lipids is on the same order of magnitude as that of proteins: cells express tens of thousands of different lipids and hundreds of proteins to regulate their metabolism and transport. Despite their clear importance and essential functions, lipids have not been as well studied as proteins. We discuss here some of the reasons why it has been challenging to study lipids and outline technological developments that are allowing us to begin lifting lipids out of their {"}Cinderella{"} status. We focus on recent advances in lipid identification, visualization, and investigation of their biophysics and perturbations and suggest that the field has sufficiently advanced to encourage broader investigation into these intriguing molecules.",

keywords = "PLASMA-MEMBRANE, LIVING CELLS, MASS-SPECTROMETRY, CYTOKINESIS, LIPIDOMICS, MOLECULES, DATABASE, METLIN, ACIDS, AFM",

author = "Eleonora Muro and Atilla-Gokcumen, {G. Ekin} and Eggert, {Ulrike S.}",

year = "2014",

month = jun,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1091/mbc.E13-09-0516",

language = "English",

volume = "25",

pages = "1819--1823",

journal = "Mol Biol Cell",

issn = "1059-1524",

publisher = "American Society for Cell Biology (mboc)",

number = "12",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Lipids in cell biology

T2 - how can we understand them better?

AU - Muro, Eleonora

AU - Atilla-Gokcumen, G. Ekin

AU - Eggert, Ulrike S.

PY - 2014/6/15

Y1 - 2014/6/15

N2 - Lipids are a major class of biological molecules and play many key roles in different processes. The diversity of lipids is on the same order of magnitude as that of proteins: cells express tens of thousands of different lipids and hundreds of proteins to regulate their metabolism and transport. Despite their clear importance and essential functions, lipids have not been as well studied as proteins. We discuss here some of the reasons why it has been challenging to study lipids and outline technological developments that are allowing us to begin lifting lipids out of their "Cinderella" status. We focus on recent advances in lipid identification, visualization, and investigation of their biophysics and perturbations and suggest that the field has sufficiently advanced to encourage broader investigation into these intriguing molecules.

AB - Lipids are a major class of biological molecules and play many key roles in different processes. The diversity of lipids is on the same order of magnitude as that of proteins: cells express tens of thousands of different lipids and hundreds of proteins to regulate their metabolism and transport. Despite their clear importance and essential functions, lipids have not been as well studied as proteins. We discuss here some of the reasons why it has been challenging to study lipids and outline technological developments that are allowing us to begin lifting lipids out of their "Cinderella" status. We focus on recent advances in lipid identification, visualization, and investigation of their biophysics and perturbations and suggest that the field has sufficiently advanced to encourage broader investigation into these intriguing molecules.

KW - PLASMA-MEMBRANE

KW - LIVING CELLS

KW - MASS-SPECTROMETRY

KW - CYTOKINESIS

KW - LIPIDOMICS

KW - MOLECULES

KW - DATABASE

KW - METLIN

KW - ACIDS

KW - AFM

U2 - 10.1091/mbc.E13-09-0516

DO - 10.1091/mbc.E13-09-0516

M3 - Article

SN - 1059-1524

VL - 25

SP - 1819

EP - 1823

JO - Mol Biol Cell

JF - Mol Biol Cell

IS - 12

ER -

Lipids in cell biology: how can we understand them better?

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this