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Lipid Droplet amount in HeLa cells with the Addition of Palmitoleic acid

Dakota Jones, Lane Bunn, Mikey Clements, and Mary-Kate Dennis

Brescia University 

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HeLa cells treated with palmitoleic acid

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HeLa cells treated with 50% ethanol

Acknowledgements

Purpose Statement

We compared palmitoleic acid to oleic acid and their impacts on lipid droplet numbers per HeLa cell.

Methods

10,000 HeLa cells added per well were put in chamber slides and allowed to grow for 24 hours. The stock solution of palmitoleic acid was diluted in 50% ethanol in 6:1 molar ratio of BSA. 400 micromolar of palmitoleic acid was distributed and settled for 24 hours. The same procedure was followed for oleic acid. Then cells were stained to be viewed. The green stain (LipidSpot 488 Lipid Droplet Stain, Biotium #70065), red stain (CF594 WGA, Biotium #29023-1), and blue stain (NucBlue Live Cell Stain, Invitrogen #R37605) were all added in series and followed manufactures instructions. The cells were visualized immediately under fluorescence microscope.

Discussion

The addition of the palmitoleic acid or oleic acid did increase the number of lipid droplets in each cell. Between the two fatty acid treated HeLa cells, there were no statistical differences between the average number of lipid droplets created per cell. With this information, scientists could use palmitoleic acid or oleic acid treatment on cells to help further research in the metabolic states of individual cells because the acids increases the amount of lipid droplets to examine per cell.

Tristan Haight

Jacob Adler

Funding was provided via Brescia University

Title III Strengthening Institutions Grant

NSF funded RCN-UBE Cell Biology Education Consortium (#1827066)

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