乳酸是一种代谢副产物，已被认为是一种极具影响力的信号分子。乳酰化是一种源自乳酸的新兴翻译后修饰形式，在炎症、胚胎发育、肿瘤增殖和代谢等众多细胞过程中发挥着至关重要的作用。然而，乳酰化在生理和病理背景下控制这些生物功能的精确分子机制仍然难以捉摸。因此，有必要对乳酰化进行全面的概述，以阐明其在生物过程中的重要性，并为未来的研究奠定基础。本综述旨在简要概述乳酰化修饰的过程以及不同生物体中蛋白质乳酰化的表征。此外，还总结了细胞过程和特定疾病中乳酰化的调节机制。最后，本文总结了乳酰化方面现有的研究空白，并提出了未来研究的主要方向。版权所有 © 2024 Lu、Zheng、Shi、Yin、Liang、Zou、Ding、He、Zhou 和 Li。

Lactate, a metabolic byproduct, has gained recognition as a highly influential signaling molecule. Lactylation, an emerging form of post-translational modification derived from lactate, plays a crucial role in numerous cellular processes such as inflammation, embryonic development, tumor proliferation, and metabolism. However, the precise molecular mechanisms through which lactylation governs these biological functions in both physiological and pathological contexts remain elusive. Hence, it is imperative to provide a comprehensive overview of lactylation in order to elucidate its significance in biological processes and establish a foundation for forthcoming investigations. This review aims to succinctly outline the process of lactylation modification and the characterization of protein lactylation across diverse organisms. Additionally, A summary of the regulatory mechanisms of lactylation in cellular processes and specific diseases is presented. Finally, this review concludes by delineating existing research gaps in lactylation and proposing primary directions for future investigations.Copyright © 2024 Lu, Zheng, Shi, Yin, Liang, Zou, Ding, He, Zhou and Li.