Abstract
Lamins are type V intermediate filaments that collectively form a meshwork underneath the inner nuclear membrane, called nuclear lamina. Furthermore, they are also present in the nucleoplasm. Lamins are experiencing a growing interest, since a wide range of diseases are induced by mutations in the gene coding for A-type lamins, globally known as laminopathies. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that lamins are involved in other pathological conditions, like cancer. The role of lamins has been studied from several perspectives, exploiting different techniques and procedures. This multidisciplinary approach has contributed to resolving the unique features of lamins and has provided a thorough insight in their role in living organisms. Yet, there are still many unanswered questions, which constantly generate research in the field. The present work is aimed to review some interesting experimental techniques performed so far to study lamins. Scientists can take advantage of this collection for their novel investigations, being aware of the already pursued and consolidated methodologies. Hopefully, advances in these research directions will provide insights to achieve better diagnostic procedures and effective therapeutic options.
Highlights
In eukaryotic cells, the nuclear envelope (NE) acts as a physical barrier between cytoplasm and nucleoplasm
The authors developed a mechanical model of the nuclear lamina for investigating the mechanisms that lead to the formation of nuclear blebs, which are generally observed in pathologies associated with misshapen nuclei
The segregation of certain isoforms has been studied on this lamina model, and results have been satisfactorily compared with data from pathological cells
Summary
The nuclear envelope (NE) acts as a physical barrier between cytoplasm and nucleoplasm. NE is a bilayered lipid membrane with a highly organized and complex structure, which comprises the inner (INM) and the outer (ONM) nuclear membranes, the nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) and the underlying nuclear lamina. The NPCs provide the sole exchanging channels between cytoplasm and nucleus. Nuclear lamina is a dense protein meshwork underneath the INM and is mostly comprised of type V intermediate filaments known as lamins. Lamins can be classified in two major groups (A- and B-type lamins), depending on their biochemical and sequence characteristics [1]. The LMNA gene encodes all A-type lamins
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