Protocol for monitoring fatty acid trafficking from lipid droplets to mitochondria in cultured cells.

Intracellular trafficking of fatty acids (FAs) between organelles is critical for cells to adjust their metabolism in response to stimuli such as exercise, fasting, and cold exposure. Here, we describe a protocol to monitor trafficking of FAs from lipid droplets to mitochondria. We describe the labeling of organelles in cultured C2C12 myoblasts with transfection and dyes. We detail a pulse-chase labeling paradigm using a fluorescent FA analog, live-cell imaging to visualize trafficking of FAs, and steps to quantify FA trafficking. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Miner et al..