Cell Nucleus

Yunlong Yang, Ph.D.

Department of Cellular & Genetic medicine

Fudan University
2018.05.03
All life is made of cells

The Nobel Foundation Figure 3.2; Introduction to Physiology, The Pennsylvania State University
Cell nucleus:
The largest organelle in eukaryotic cells which contains the cell's
hereditary information and controls the cell's growth and
reproduction.

 Morphology: adapts to cell morphology

 Amounts & location: depend on the cell types
 Nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio
Basic structure
During interphase
• Nuclear membrane
• Nucleolus
• Nuclear scaffold
• Chromatin

During mitotic phase

• Disintegration of cell nuclei without a complete structure
Nuclear membrane/envelope
Double-layered membrane
structure
• Out nuclear membrane
• Inner nuclear membrane
• Perinuclear space
• Nuclear pore
Eukaryotic cells
Endomembrane system
Nuclear membrane/envelope
Out nuclear membrane
• Connected to the endoplasmic
reticulum
• Ribosomes
• Cytoskeletal components such as
intermediate fibers

Inner nuclear membrane

• Smooth
Nuclear membrane/envelope
Perinuclear space
• 20-40nm
• Connected with the lumen of the
endoplasmic reticulum
Nuclear membrane/envelope

Mechanisms and functions of nuclear envelope remodeling. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 2017
Nuclear membrane/envelope
Nuclear pore
• Fusion of the two membrane
• Nuclear pore complex，NPC
Nuclear membrane/envelope
Nuclear pore complex
• Fishing cage model
Nuclear membrane/envelope
Fishing cage model
• Cytoplasmic filaments
• Cytoplasmic ring
• Inner pore ring
• Nuclear ring
• Nuclear basket
• Central plug
 Nuclear membrane/envelope
Fishing cage model
• Cytoplasmic filaments
• Cytoplasmic ring
• Inner pore ring
• Nuclear ring
• Nuclear basket
• Central plug

The nuclear pore complex: understanding its function through structural insight. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 2017
Nuclear membrane/envelope

Mechanisms and functions of nuclear envelope remodeling. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 2017
Nuclear membrane/envelope
Nuclear lamina
• The inner surface of the inner
membrane
• Fiber-like protein
• Lamin (A,B,C)
• Phosphorylation
Nuclear membrane/envelope
Nuclear lamina
• The inner surface of the inner
membrane
• Fiber-like protein
• Lamin (A,B,C)
• Phosphorylation
Nuclear membrane/envelope

Mechanisms and functions of nuclear envelope remodeling. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 2017
Nuclear membrane function
• Separates the DNA from the
cytoplasm; protects the DNA
molecule from damage; Separates Protein Functions
Present in Reference
the replication of DNA from the complex in
translation of RNA. MC proteins
Endomemb
Bacteria [73]
rane system
• Prokaryotic origins PCNA
DNA
Archaea [76]
metabolism
• Participate in the synthesis of Small
biological macromolecules. Sm-like
nuclear
Archaea [77]
ribonucleop
• Channel for material exchange. roteins
CMG DNA
Archaea [78]
complex replication
Post-
trancription
snoRNA al Archaea [81]
modificatio
ns
Membrane
Dynamin manipulatio Bacteria [82]
n
Membrane/
ESCRT Archaea [83, 84]
cell division
Material exchange
• Small molecules
——pass freely through NPC
• Macromolecules
——special transport
• Proteins smaller than 50KDa
——passive transport
• Proteins larger than 50KDa
——active transport
Material exchange
Active transport
• Selective
• Diameter can be adjusted;
• Signal recognition and vector mediation
• Energy consumption
Active transportation
Karyophilic protein
• Nuclear localization signal, NLS
• Importin
Active transportation
Imporin，Exportin，
NLS、NES、
Ran
Nuclear membrane/envelope
Disease
Chromatin
Chromatin
Stained with basic dyes
Chromosome during division
• DNA
• Protein
• RNA

Zellsubstanz, Kern und Zelltheilung, 1885

Chromatin
DNA
• Linear molecule
• Hereditary information
• Unique sequence
——Protein/ enzyme
• Middle repetitive sequence
——Spacer/regulatory/some
RNA or protein
• Highly repetitive sequence
——Telomere/centromere
Chromatin
Histone
• Eukaryotic cell
• Basic protein —— Acid DNA
• Rich in arginine and lysine
Chromatin
Histone
• Nucleosomal histone
（ H2A、H2B、H3 、H4 ）
• Linking histones （ H1 ）
Chromatin
Histone
• Acetylation
• Phospharylation
• Methylation
Chromatin
Nonhistone protein
• Acid protein
• Regulation
Chromatin
Euchromatin
Heterochromatin
• Constitutive heterochromatin
• Facultative heterochromatin
Chromatin
Euchromatin vs.
Heterochromatin
Chromatin
Structure and assembly
• Nucleosome
Chromatin
Structure and assembly
• Solenoid
Chromatin
Structure and assembly
• Super solenoid
• Chromatid
Chromotin
Structure and assembly
• Scaffold radial loop
structure model
•Miniband
Chromatin
Structure and assembly
• Scaffold radial loop
structure model
•Miniband
Chromatin
Chromatin
Conformation Tech
Chromatin
Structure and assembly
• Sister chromatid
• Centromere
• Primary constriction
• Kinetochore
• Secondary constriction
• Telomere
Chromatin
Centromere
Chromatin
Kinetochore
Chromatin
Karyotype
All chromosomes in a somatic cell
are arranged according to their size
and morphological characteristics.
Commonly used to analyze
chromosome number and
morphological characteristics.
Chromatin
Disease

The Nobel Foundation

Nucleolus
Nucleolus
• Dense fiber component
• Fiber center
• Particle components
• Nucleolar organizing
region， NOR
Nucleolus
Nucleolar cycle：
The nucleolus changes with the
periodicity of the cells, and the
aggregation (pre-phase) and
deaggregation (end-stage) of
the nucleolar chromosomes
determine the disappearance
and reproduction of the
nucleolus.
Nucleolus
•Nucleolar
Nuclear matrix
 Take home points
• Nuclear membrane
• Chromatin
• Nucleolus
• Nuclear matrix
• Disease
Learning Objectives:

Acknowledgements
• Shanghai Pujiang Program  Prof. Ji Zuo
• Starting grant of Fudan University
• NSFC  Dr. Feng Guo
• The Lars Hierta Foundation
• Ogonfodon
 Qi Tang
• Ruth och Rickard Julins foundation
 Department of Cellular &
• KI foundation Genetic medicine
• Tore and Nilsson Foundation