Lipotoxicity in the liver

Figure 2 Fatty acid toxicity in the liver. A: Balanced (over) supply of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids allows the hepatocyte to enhance triglyceride synthesis and deposition. Storage of excess fatty acids prevents superfluous fatty acid oxidation and thereby protects against oxidative stress; B: Disproportionate abundance of saturated fatty acids might not be compensated for by fatty acid desaturation (dashed lines). Hindrance of protective fat synthesis favors fatty acid oxidation and leads to excessive ROS generation; The emerging oxidative stress and the increased saturation of membrane lipids trigger the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, which contributes to insulin resistance and further enhances cell death (dotted lines).