Fig. 3.

Proposed mechanisms by which the Cide protein family regulates LD size in WAT and BAT

In WAT, FSP27α on neighboring LDs forms homodimerization, resulting in the fusion of LD, subsequent lipid exchange, and formation of larger LDs. CideA also promotes large LD formation by forming homodimerization. However, in BAT, FSP27β inhibits the homodimerization of CideA and suppresses the formation of large LDs, resulting in the formation of multilocular LDs.