Nucleus and its Structural

Components
Nuclear envelope,
nucleus and chromosomes
 Features, which are the structural basis of all
cellular events, can be defined in this way:

• Plasma membrane
• Nucleus
• Cytoplasm
Cell structure and function begin with proteins- and
instruction for building the proteins them themselves are
contained in DNA.
The nucleus isolates the DNA in eukaryotic cells
N Components of the Nucleus
Nuclear Double-membrane, pore-riddled boundary
envelope between cytoplasm and interior of nucleus

Nucleolus Dense cluster of the RNA and proteins

used to assemble ribosomal subunits

Nucleoplasm Fluid portion of the nuclear interior

/nuclear sap

Chromosome DNA molecules and numerous proteins

s attached to them
 MAIN FUNCTIONS:
• Control of the genetic information of the cell
and thus the heredity characteristics of an
organism

• Control of the protein and enzyme synthesis.

• Control of cell division and cell growth.

• Storage of DNA, RNA and ribosome.

• Regulation of the transcription of the mRNA to

protein
 Nuclear Envelope
• Under the electron microscope
the nuclear envelope appears to
consist of two membranes, the
outer and the inner nuclear
membranes, separated by a
perinuclear space of 15- 20 nm
(Fig. 2.65). Each of the two
membranes structure of 7 – 10
nm thickness.
• The outer nuclear membrane
communicates with
endoplasmic reticulum and
has ribosomes on the outer
side.
• The inner nuclear membrane
is lined on the inner surface
by the nuclear lamina, which
is a protein fibrous network
of 30-100 nm thick that
connects the inner nuclear
membrane with chromatin.

• The function of nuclear

lamina: to stabilize nuclear
envelope and to bind
chromatin to the nuclear
envelope.
 The nuclear envelope is perforated by many circular
apertures called nuclear pores.
Each nuclear pore shows the presence of a dense
ring or cylinder called the annulus.
• The annulus extends both into
the cytoplasm and the
nucleoplasm.
• The annulus typically consists
of eight subunits arranged in
radial symmetry around the
pore.
• The subunits have been
variously interpreted as micro
-cylinders, filaments, spheres
or ovoid.
Electron microscopic image of the nuclear
lamina
 Nuclear pores
• This nuclear framework inside the cell nucleus helps it
maintain its shape.
• Nuclear pores create passages through the nuclear
membrane, and allow products of the cell nucleus to enter
the cytoplasm or endoplasmic reticulum.
• A nuclear pore is a part of a large complex of proteins,
known as a nuclear pore complex that spans the nuclear
envelope, which is the double membrane surrounding the
eukaryotic cell nucleus.
• The proteins that make up the nuclear pore complex
(NPCs) are known as nucleoporins.
 Nucleoporins
• Nucleoporins are a family of around 30
proteins which are the constituent building
blocks of the nuclear pore complex (NPC).

• Nucleoporins are able to transport molecules

across the nuclear envelope at a very high rate.
 Nucleolus
• In a stained nucleus, a dark spot
can be seen. This spot is the
nucleolus.
• Within the nucleolus, the several
different parts of ribosomes are
produced and exported.
• Nucleolus is usually a-spheroidal
body situated within the nucleus,
either in a central or peripheral
position.
• It is found in close association
with the nucleolar organizer
region of two or more
chromosomes.
 Nucleoplasm
• The transparent, semisolid,
granular and slightly
acidophilic ground
substance of the nucleus is
known as nucleoplasm.
• The nuclear components,
such as the chromatin
threads and the nucleolus,
remain suspended in the
nucleoplasm.
• The thread-like elongated
filamentous structures of
nucleoplasm which take
readily the basic stains are
known as chromatin fibres.
Chromatin fibers is a complex of DNA and
protein. Chromatin fibers are observed
only at interphase stage. During cell
division these chromatin fibers become
thick, short thread-like structure known as
chromosomes.
Two types :
heterochromatin which is supposed to be
metabolically and genetically inert.
Euchromatin - contains metabolically
active DNA and, therefore, is genetically
very important.

HC - Heterochromatin -densely packed DNA

without transcription. It has 2 forms, the
constitutive HC, which is never transcribed, and is
usually attached to the nuclear envelope via
the nuclear lamina. In contrast, facultative
heterochromatin is densely packed only in a
particular cell type , contains the inactive genes in
the genome; EC - Euchromatin: less coiled DNA,
the functional part of chromatin with intense
mRNA synthesis. NU - Nucleolus: contains genes
for ribosomal RNA
Main Difference –
Euchromatin vs
Heterochromatin
The main difference
between euchromatin and
heterochromatin is that
euchromatin consists of
transcriptionally active
regions of DNA whereas
heterochromatin consists
of transcriptionally inactive
DNA regions in the genome.
 Chromosomes
• Most of an organism’s DNA is organized into one
or more chromosomes, each of which is a very
long string or loop of DNA.

• In prokaryotes, DNA is typically organized into a

single circular chromosome (a loop).

• In eukaryotes, chromosomes are linear structures

• Every eukaryotic species has a specific number

of chromosomes in the nuclei of its body’s cells.
 Chromosomes are only visible as distinct structures
when the cell is getting ready to divide.
When the cell is in the growth and maintenance phases
of its life cycle, the chromosomes instead resemble an
unwound, jumbled bunch of threads.
In this form, the DNA is accessible to the enzymes that
transcribe it into RNA, allowing the genetic information to
be put to use.
• In both their loose and compact forms, the
DNA strands of chromosomes are bound to
structural proteins, including a family of
proteins called histones .
• These DNA-associated proteins organize the
DNA and help it fit into the nucleus, and they
also play a role in determining which genes are
active or inactive.
• The complex formed by DNA and its
supporting structural proteins is known as
chromatin.
For most of the life of the cell,
chromatin is decondensed
Condensation takes place when the
cell is about to divide.

When chromatin condenses, you

can see that eukaryotic DNA is not
just one long string.

When cells divide, chromatin

condenses to form chromosomes
which split into two identical
strands called chromatids.

Each chromatid then becomes a

chromosome in each new cell that
is formed.
The compact structure of chromosomes during
mitosis