Lipids play crucial roles in signal transduction, contribute to the structural integrity of cellular membranes, and regulate energy metabolism. Questions remain as to which lipid species maintain metabolic homeostasis and which disrupt essential cellular functions, leading to metabolic disorders. Here, we discuss recent advances in understanding lipid metabolism with a focus on catabolism, synthesis, and signaling. Technical advances, including functional genomics, metabolomics, lipidomics, lipid-protein interaction maps, and advances in mass spectrometry, have uncovered new ways to prioritize molecular mechanisms mediating lipid function. By reviewing what is known about the distinct effects of specific lipid species in physiological pathways, we provide a framework for understanding newly identified targets regulating lipid homeostasis with implications for ameliorating metabolic diseases.

脂质在信号转导中发挥着至关重要的作用，有助于细胞膜的结构完整性，并调节能量代谢。哪些脂质种类维持代谢稳态以及哪些脂质种类破坏重要的细胞功能，导致代谢紊乱，仍然存在疑问。在这里，我们讨论了解脂质代谢的最新进展，重点是分解代谢、合成和信号传导。技术进步，包括功能基因组学、代谢组学、脂质组学、脂质-蛋白质相互作用图谱和质谱技术的进步，已经发现了优先考虑介导脂质功能的分子机制的新方法。通过回顾已知的特定脂质种类在生理途径中的独特影响，我们提供了一个框架，用于理解新发现的调节脂质稳态的靶标，以及对改善代谢疾病的影响。