At an early developmental stage (ring stage), the parasite synthesises DAG, which accumulates in certain areas between the bilayer of the ER membrane. DAG is then converted into TAG, the storage form for NLs, which coincides with the appearance of small LDs budding off the ER (blue box). When TAG synthesis is inhibited (e.g. by inhibitors like XN or T863), parasites fail to form LDs, which leads to cell death due to lipotoxicity (red box). In the late schizont stage, parasites require access to LD-stored TAGs as an energy and FA resource to generate new membranes (blue box). When TAG hydrolysis is inhibited (e.g. by Orlistat), parasite development is arrested at the mid-schizont stage, and no merozoites can be formed, breaking the parasite asexual cycle (red box). Lee J, Matuschewski K, van Dooren G, Maier AG, Rug M. Lipid droplet dynamics are essential for the development of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. J Cell Sci. 2024 15;137(20):jcs262162. PMID: 38962997.