Lipophagy: exploring its association with male reproductive system disorders and investigating potential mechanisms

Background: Lipid metabolism, one of the three major metabolic processes, plays a crucial role in male fertility, particularly when lipid homeostasis is disrupted. Lipid droplets (LDs), cellular organelles that store lipids primarily in the form of triglycerides and cholesterol esters, serve as central hubs in lipid metabolism.The degradation of LDs is regulated by lipases and lipophagy.