Fig. 4

Phase transitional properties of crystalline hepatic lipid droplets (HLDs) obtained from HiF diet induced NAFLD livers. A Phase transitions between anisotropic liquid crystal (ani-LC), anisotropic crystal (ani-CRSYT), and isotropic lipid droplet (iso-HLD) were labeled with ① to ⑤ with arrows indicating direction of phase transition. B Recording of transition from anisotropic crystal to isotropic hepatic lipid droplet with temperature increase to 42 °C are shown in panels a to h and return to anisotropic liquid crystal with return to room temperature are shown in panels i to p. The difference in optical activity of crystalline, anisotropic droplet, and liquid crystal phases in a single view are shown in panels q, r, and s. Panel q shows the birefringence density of a crystal HLD, panel r shows the lack of birefringence of an anisotropic HLD, and panel s shows the birefringence density of a liquid crystal HLD. Panel t shows the typical birefringence shape of a crystalline HLD while panel u shows the post transition liquid crystal HLD demonstrating signature Maltese cross birefringence. Scale bars are 40 μm in panels a to m; 25 μm in panels t and u