Dynamic Structure and Function of the Nuclear Envelope and Lamina in Mammalian Cells

Abstract

The cell nucleus is the largest organelle in mammalian cells. It consists of several functional sub-domains including the nuclear envelope, the nuclear pore complexes, the nuclear lamina, the chromatin, the nucleolus and so on. The nuclear envelope, the nuclear pore complexes and the nuclear lamina integrate into the nuclear periphery of the interphase nucleus that provides a relatively stable environment for the genetic metabolic activities of the nucleus and regulate the material exchange between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. The nucleus is dynamic in mitosis. It disassembles into its components during the mitotic entry, and reassembles at the end of mitosis using these components. The nuclear periphery plays important roles in cell proliferation, differentiation and development. Several lines of evidence also link the nuclear periphery with the cell senescence. In this paper, we mainly discuss the dynamic structure and function of the nuclear periphery and its possible roles in the development of some related nuclear envelopathies.