Stimuli-Responsive Natural Lipid Droplets for Selective Lipid Trafficking
Natural lipid droplets (LDs or oleosomes) play a crucial role in the biological function of cells due to their ability to transport lipids across their membrane. By combining experimental techniques with molecular dynamics simulations, we demonstrate the role of the LD membrane in lipid trafficking (absorption or release). Lipids can permeate the LD membrane due to hydrophobic forces and rest in their core, leading to an LD volume expansion and a decrease in the membrane density. Similarly, when LDs are in contact with a hydrophobic surface, lipids are fueled through a phospholipid channel, leading to LD deflation. The ability of the LDs to expand in volume or shrink is attributed to the weak lateral molecular interactions in the membrane phospholipid monolayer, which sits on the liquid triacylglycerol core, allowing for reversible dilation. The mechanistic understanding of lipid trafficking by LDs is enhancing our understanding of LD functions, which can lead to the delicate and targeted delivery of therapeutics for disease treatments.
Speaker
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Costas NikiforidisWageningen University, the NetherlandsDr. Costas Nikiforidis studied Chemistry in Greece. In 2011, he completed his PhD in Physical Chemistry of Foods and moved to Wageningen University, the Netherlands. Currently, he is an Associate Professor of Biobased Soft Matter.
Costas is leading a team of 9 Ph.D. candidates, 2 postdoctoral researchers, and several under and postgraduate students. His research activities focus on creating biologically inspired functional materials using biosourced proteins and lipid systems.
Costas has published over 90 peer-reviewed articles, holds 4 patents, and is frequently invited to speak at conferences, universities, and companies.