Abstract

Biochemical and Structural Dynamics of the Cell Nucleus is a collection of papers dealing with the biology of the cell nucleus. The collection describes the methods used in isolating and defining the chemistry and functional interactions of the nuclear components. Some papers also discuss the diversity of the roles that these components play in regulating cellular phenotypes, differentiation, and proliferation. One paper discusses the possible role for lamin A in muscle differentiations, where due to its presence and the appearance of A-type lamins during the differentiation of a number of cell types, lamin A or any of its isoelectric variants cannot specifically be responsible for the induction of muscle specific gene expression. The work of Loewinger and McKeon (1988) can show evidence of the role for lamin A in the differential expression of muscle-specific genes during the process of myogenesis if the investigator uses an alternative method. Several papers also discuss the dynamics of assembly and disassembly of the nuclear lamina and envelope, DNA- and RNA-binding proteins, as well as the nucleocytoplasmic transport. The collection can prove valuable to biochemists, cellular biologists, microbiologists, and molecular biologists.