Olins DE, Olins AL. Nuclear envelope-limited chromatin sheets (ELCS) and heterochromatin higher order structure.
Chromosoma 2009;
118:537-48. [PMID:
19521714 DOI:
10.1007/s00412-009-0219-3]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2009] [Revised: 05/07/2009] [Accepted: 05/19/2009] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The interphase nucleus and nuclear envelope can acquire a myriad of shapes in normal or pathological cell states. There exist a wide variety of indentations and invaginations, of protrusions and evaginations. It has been difficult to classify and name all of these nuclear shapes and, consequently, a barrier to understanding the biochemical and biophysical causes. This review focuses upon one type of nuclear envelope shape change, named "nuclear envelope-limited chromatin sheets" (ELCS), which appears to involve exaggerated nuclear envelope growth, carrying with it one or more layers of approximately 30 nm diameter heterochromatin. A hypothesis on the formation of ELCS is proposed, relating higher order heterochromatin structure in an interphase nucleus, nuclear envelope growth, and nuclear envelope-heterochromatin interactions.
Collapse