Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) is an intracellular neutral lipase found in a variety of tissues, but primarily in adipose and steroidogenic tissues. It hydrolyzes triglycerides into free fatty acids and cholesteryl esters into free cholesterol for steroid hormone synthesis.
HSL is the major enzyme responsible for the mobilization of free fatty acids from adopise tissue, and HSL antibodies are useful tools for lipid and metabolism research.