Nucleus - Structure - Function - TeachMePhysiology https://teachmephysiology.

com/histology/cell-structures/nucleus/

Nucleu
Home / Hitolog / Cell tructure / Nucleu

Original Author(): Aaruhi Khanna

Lat updated: 29th Octoer 2023
Reviion: 20

The nucleu i a memrane ound organelle found in the majorit of eukarotic cell. It i the larget organelle of the
eukarotic cell, accounting for around 10% of it volume. It houe the genome, and through gene expreion, it co-
ordinate the activitie of the cell.

In thi article, we will conider the tructure and function of the nucleu.

tructure
The nucleu i a relativel large and pherical memrane-ound organelle. The nucleu itelf i compried of ditinct
component, and undertanding their tructure allow a deeper undertanding of their function.

Fig 1 – The nucleu

Nuclear envelope
The nucleu i completel urrounded  the nuclear envelope. Thi conit of oth an inner and outer memrane

1 of 3 1/1/2024, 9:24 AM
Nucleus - Structure - Function - TeachMePhysiology https://teachmephysiology.com/histology/cell-structures/nucleus/

which run parallel to each other. The envelope i perforated  mall gap known a the nuclear pore. Thee pore
are around 100nm wide in true diameter, however due to the preence of central regulator protein the true ize of
the gap i around 9nm.

Thi mall ize control the paage of molecule into and out of the nucleu. Larger molecule uch a larger
protein and nucleic acid are unale to pa through thee pore, and o the function of the nuclear envelope i to
electivel eparate the content of the nucleu from that of the ctoplam.

Nuclear lamina
Mechanical upport for the nucleu i provided  the nuclear lamina. Thi i a protein meh, which i more
organied on the internal urface on the nucleu than on the ctoplamic urface.

Chromatin
Chromatin decrie DNA that i complexed with protein. The primar protein component of chromatin are
hitone, which are highl aic protein that aociate readil with DNA. Hitone comined with DNA form
nucleoome, which are the uunit of chromatin. pecificall, a nucleoome decrie a egment of DNA
aociated with 8 hitone protein.  aociating with hitone, DNA i more compact and ale to fit into the
nucleu.

Chromatin can exit a either euchromatin or heterochromatin. uchromatin i the form of chromatin preent during
gene expreion, and ha a characteritic ‘ead on a tring’ appearance. It i activated  acetlation. In contrat,
heterochromatin i the ‘inactive’ form, and i denel packed. On electron microcop, euchromatin tain lighter
than heterochromatin which reflect their relative denitie.

Fig 2 – chematic diagram of euchromatin and heterochromatin

Nucleolu
The nucleolu i the ite of rioome and rioomal RNA production. On microcop, it appear a a large dene pot
within the nucleu. After a cell divide, a nucleolu i formed when chromoome are rought together into nucleolar
organiing region. During cell diviion, the nucleolu diappear.

Function

2 of 3 1/1/2024, 9:24 AM
Nucleus - Structure - Function - TeachMePhysiology https://teachmephysiology.com/histology/cell-structures/nucleus/

The information aove can e implified into three ke function:

Cell compartmentaliation: The preence of a electivel permeale nuclear envelope eparate the content of
the nucleu from that of the ctoplam.

Gene expreion: Gene expreion firt require trancription, which i the proce  which DNA i trancried
into mRNA. A the nucleu i the ite of trancription, protein within the nucleu pla a ke role in regulating the
proce.

Proceing of pre-mRNA: Newl ntheied mRNA molecule are known a pre-mRNA. efore the exit the
nucleu, the undergo a proce known a pot-trancriptional modification where molecule are added or
removed from the tructure.

Fig 3 – Nucleu with the citernae of a continuou endoplamic reticulum highlighting it main feature.

3 of 3 1/1/2024, 9:24 AM