Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins at a Glance

Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) are extensively expressed in animals, involved in the metabolism of fatty acids. FABPs share a much conserved secondary structure though they have 20% ~ 70% identities at the amino acid level. In addition to the role in lipid metabolism, FABPs are closely associated with cytokine production in immune cells and tumor growth and angiogenesis. Increasing studies are broadening our understanding of biological roles of FABPs beyond lipid trafficking and storage.