Image based analysis of lipid droplet formation is used in two application areas: predicting drug toxicity and metabolic diseases.

Predicting drug toxicity is a major concern for drug regulatory agencies. Phospholipidosis, a lipid storage disorder in which excess phospholipids accumulate within cells, can occur as an adverse drug reaction with many cationic amphiphillic drugs. Drug-induced phospholipidosis in hepatocytes causes failure of the liver, kidney and respiratory system. High Content Assays for phospholipidosis, for example by staining intracellular lipid droplets with fluorescent dyes, are used to predict the toxicity of a compound.

Metabolic diseases can cause a variety of disorders such as hepatosteatosis, which is fat deposition in hepatocytes in the liver. These fat deposits can be visualized and analyzed using High Content Analysis. Other factors that contribute to hepatosteatosis include alcohol, drugs and nutritional disorders.

Lipid droplets in cells, visualized using Bodipy 493/503.