Triacylglycerol (TAG) is an important product in oil-producing organisms. Biosynthesis of TAG can be completed through either esterification of fatty acids to glycerol backbone, or through esterification of 2-monoacylglycerol. This review will focus on the former pathway in which two precursors, fatty acid and glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), are required for TAG formation. Tremendous progress has been made about the enzymes or genes that regulate the biosynthetic pathway of TAG. However, much attention has been paid to the fatty acid provision and the esterification process, while the possible role of G3P is largely neglected. Glycerol is extensively studied on its usage as carbon source for value-added products, but the modification of glycerol metabolism, which is directly associated with G3P synthesis, is seldom recognized in lipid investigations. The relevance among glycerol metabolism, G3P synthesis and lipid production is described, and the role of G3P in glycerol metabolism and lipid production are discussed in detail with an emphasis on how G3P affects lipid production through the modulation of glycerol metabolism. Observations of lipid metabolic changes due to glycerol related disruption in mammals, plants, and microorganisms are introduced. Altering glycerol metabolism results in the changes of final lipid content. Possible regulatory mechanisms concerning the relationship between glycerol metabolism and lipid production are summarized.

三酰基甘油（TAG）是产油生物中的重要产品。TAG的生物合成可以通过脂肪酸酯化为甘油主链或通过2-单酰基甘油酯化来完成。这项审查将侧重于前一种途径，在此途径中，需要两种前体脂肪酸和3-磷酸甘油酯（G3P）来形成TAG。关于调节TAG的生物合成途径的酶或基因已经取得了巨大的进步。但是，人们对脂肪酸的提供和酯化过程给予了极大的关注，而很大程度上忽略了G3P的可能作用。对甘油作为增值产品的碳源的用途进行了广泛的研究，但是与脂质G3P合成直接相关的甘油代谢的修饰却很少在脂质研究中得到认可。描述了甘油代谢，G3P合成和脂质产生之间的相关性，并详细讨论了G3P在甘油代谢和脂质产生中的作用，重点是G3P如何通过调节甘油代谢来影响脂质产生。引入了在哺乳动物，植物和微生物中由于甘油相关的破坏而引起的脂质代谢变化的观察。甘油代谢的改变导致最终脂质含量的变化。归纳了有关甘油代谢与脂质产生之间关系的可能调节机制。并详细讨论了G3P在甘油代谢和脂质产生中的作用，重点是G3P如何通过调节甘油代谢来影响脂质产生。引入了在哺乳动物，植物和微生物中由于甘油相关的破坏而引起的脂质代谢变化的观察。甘油代谢的改变导致最终脂质含量的变化。归纳了有关甘油代谢与脂质产生之间关系的可能调节机制。并详细讨论了G3P在甘油代谢和脂质产生中的作用，重点是G3P如何通过调节甘油代谢来影响脂质产生。引入了在哺乳动物，植物和微生物中由于甘油相关的破坏而引起的脂质代谢变化的观察。甘油代谢的改变导致最终脂质含量的变化。归纳了有关甘油代谢与脂质产生之间关系的可能调控机制。