An optimized method to visualize lipid droplets in mouse brain tissue

Lipid droplets (LDs) are lipid-storage organelles that have gained interest in neurodegenerative diseases, yet their physiological role in the brain is not fully understood. Classical LD detection using lipophilic dyes like BODIPY 493/503 (BD493) or antibodies against LD coat proteins typically reveals few LDs in healthy brain tissue. In contrast, our recently developed endogenous LD-reporter mouse showed numerous LDs in the developing and adult brain without staining. To understand this discrepancy, we examined how tissue preparation and detergent influence LD detection. We found that BD493 performs poorly in brain tissue, whereas other lipophilic dyes allow visualization of many LDs. Antibody-based detection is sensitive to tissue pretreatment but can reveal similar LD numbers as the LD-reporter mouse. We here present an optimized protocol, demonstrating that LDs are abundant in healthy young and aged brains, with larger LDs in aged mice. However, LD detection in aged brains requires caution due to strong LD-like autofluorescence.