Exploring Lipid Droplets for Enhancing Cytoskeletal Stability and Repair Capacity via Carbonized Polymer Dot-Assisted Fluorescence Imaging

Lipid droplets (LDs), as dynamic organelles, are regarded as core carriers of energy storage and participate in cell signaling and metabolic process regulation. The interaction between LDs and cytoskeletons may profoundly affect cell growth and pathological processes; however, direct evidence is absent. Our study employed an LD-targeted carbonized polymer dot (CPD) that exhibits high photostability and superior imaging capabilities with confocal fluorescence imaging to visually observe the behaviors of LDs in reinforcing cytoskeletons and assisting cytoskeletal repair. Results demonstrate that LDs could enhance the stability of the cytoskeletons, helping cells resist damage from external factors. Once they were damaged, the LDs could quickly increase in content to facilitate cytoskeletal repair. These findings reveal the important role of LDs as "regulatory hubs" and offer fresh perspectives on the mechanism behind LD-cytoskeleton interactions.