ROLE OF ACCUMULATED LIPID DROPLETS IN DROSOPHILA MACROPHAGES DURING BACTERIAL INFECTION

Abstract

Macrophages are white blood cells of the immune response, in mammals, fruit flies, and most animals. They are important for Fighting infections in many ways including phagocytosis and production of inflammatory signals. Curiously, in many inflammatory conditions, macrophages often accumulate lipids in the form of lipid droplets, although the purpose of this accumulation is not well understood. I have used the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to investigate the purpose of macrophage lipid droplets and have found the lipids are essential to allow the differentiation of the macrophages into a specialized form called “lamellocytes”, which is a very large and flattened cell type. Additionally, I found that one way that lipid droplets promote lamellocyte differentiation is by supplying the lipids needed to make the plasma membrane of the enormous lamellocytes