Nucleus is a Latin word, means ‘little nut’ or ‘kernel’; is a membrane-enclosed organelle found
in most eukaryotic cells. It contains most of the cell's genetic material, organized as multiple
long linear DNA molecules in complex with a large variety of proteins, such as histones. The
nucleus was the first organelle to be discovered and described by Franz Bauer in 1802. It was
later described in more detail by Scottish botanist Robert Brown in 1831 in a talk at the Linnean
Society of London.
The nucleus is the largest cellular organelle in
animals. In mammalian cells, the average
diameter typically varies from 11 to 22 μm and
occupies about 10% of the total volume. A
nucleus has four component, they are:
Figure 10: Nucleus
Nuclear envelope and pores Chromatin
Nucleoplasm Nucleolus
Nuclear envelope and pores: The nuclear envelope consists of two cellular membranes, an inner
and an outer membrane, arranged parallel to one another and separated by 10 to 50 nm, this
space is called perinuclear cistern and is continuous with the RER lumen. The nuclear envelope
completely encloses the nucleus and separates the cell's genetic material from cytoplasm, serving
as a barrier to prevent macromolecules from diffusing freely between the nucleoplasm and the
cytoplasm. The outer nuclear membrane is continuous with the membrane of the RER and is
similarly studded with ribosomes. Nuclear pores, which provide aqueous channels through the
envelope, are composed of multiple proteins, collectively referred to as nucleoporins. The pores
are about 125 million Daltons in molecular weight and consist of around 50 to 100 proteins. The
pores are 100 nm in total diameter; however, the gap through molecules is only about 9 nm wide.
Small molecules like sugar, ion etc can move by the pore. The nucleus of a typical mammalian
cell will have about 3000 to 4000 pores.
Chromatin: The nucleus contains a delicate network of granules or threads which are staned with
basic dyes, called chromatin. Chromatin is composed mainly of coiled stands of DNA bound to
basic proteins. The basic structural unit of chromatin is the nucleoplasm. Two types of chromatin
can be distinguished with microscopes, they are:
Heterochromatin Euchromati
A heterochromatin mass is frequently found in nuclei of female cells. This chromatin clump is
the sex chromatin.
During cell division the chromatin fibers in the nucleus become condensed to small rod-like or
thread-like structure that transmits genetic information called chromosomes.
Nucleolus: The nucleolus is a discrete densely-stained structure found in the nucleus. It is not
surrounded by a membrane, and is sometimes called a suborganelle. It forms around tandem
repeats of rDNA, DNA coding for rRNA. The main roles of the nucleolus are to synthesize
rRNA and assemble ribosomes. The structural cohesion of the nucleolus depends on its activity.
It is up to 1mm in diameter and is rich in rRNA and protein. It is seen only during interphase and
is basophilic when stained with haematoxyline and eosin.
Nucleoplasm: Nucleoplasm or nuclear matrix is the component that fills the space between the
chromatin and the nucleoli in the nucleus. It is composed mainly of proteins, metabolites and
ions. The fibrillar structure of the nuclear matrix without its nucleic acids and other soluble
components is termed nucleoskeleton. The nucleoskeleton probably contributes to the formation
of a protein base to which DNA loops are bound.
Function: The main function of the cell nucleus is to control gene expression and mediate the
replication of DNA during the cell cycle. The nucleus provides a site for genetic transcription
that is segregated from the location of translation in the cytoplasm, allowing levels of gene
regulation that are not available to prokaryotes. Moreover rRNA, mRNA, tRNA are synthesized
in here.