Mitochondrial fatty acid transport machinery (None widely accepted; "mtFAT machinery" is sometimes used in literature, but no universally recognized abbreviation exists[1][2].)

The **mitochondrial fatty acid transport machinery** encompasses the molecular systems that mediate the transfer of fatty acids from storage sites (e.g., lipid droplets) into mitochondria for their oxidation and conversion into cellular energy[4][6]. This machinery operates at the interface of lipid droplets, mitochondria, and the endoplasmic reticulum, involving transport proteins (such as CPT1/2), acyl-CoA synthetases, and structural contact site proteins (ESYT1, VAPB, PLIN5, etc.), which collectively regulate fatty acid flux, support energy production, and maintain lipid homeostasis[4][6]. Dysregulation of this machinery is implicated in metabolic diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other disorders, making it a pharmacologically relevant composite target, though not a single molecule[3][4][6].

Other names

Mitochondrial fatty acid transport complexmtFAT pathwayFatty acid mitochondrial import systemLipid droplet-mitochondria transport system

Inhibition of fatty acid import (e.g., CPT1 inhibitors block entry of long-chain fatty acids) Modulation of lipid utilization and mitochondrial β-oxidation for energy metabolism