lipid droplet formation on endoplasmic reticulum (IMAGE)
Caption
Oil droplet formation: Oil (yellow) accumulates between the layers of the membrane that forms the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)—a network of membranes within the cytoplasm of plant cells. Droplets grow and eventually pinch off to become suspended in the cytoplasm. But this process only happens in certain microdomains that are rich in sterols and oleosins along the membrane. The Brookhaven team hypothesizes that sterol is essential to the formation of these droplet-forming microdomains.
Credit
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Usage Restrictions
OK for use with stories about this research
License
Original content