Nuclear mechanics
Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: Anomalies in the three-dimensional shape of the nucleus are associated with a number of genetic diseases. These shape distortions include lobulated structures, with localized bulges referred to as nuclear blebs. Blebbing can result from mutations in genes encoding lamin intermediate filaments that form the lamin cortex, a thin meshwork lining the nuclear envelope. However, the biophysical origins of nuclear blebs remain a mystery. A recent study by Funkhouser et al. provides a theoretical model in which the lamin cortex is modeled as a thin, inhomogeneous elastic shell. This model shows that partial segregation of different lamin sub-networks-each with distinct mechanical properties-can lead to shell morphologies similar to blebbed nuclei in living cells.
Source: Nucleus
DOI: 10.4161/nucl.25019
Institution: Princeton University
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,993
OpenAlex ID: W2126084102