title: Rearrangement of nuclear ribonucleoprotein (RNP)-containing structures during apoptosis and transcriptional arrest.
abstract: The aim of this paper is to review the data in the literature concerning ribonucleoprotein components during apoptosis, where a major rearrangement of RNPs takes place. In parallel with chromatin changes, the nucleoplasmic constituents (perichromatin fibrils; perichromatin granules; interchromatin granules and nuclear bodies) as well as the nucleoli aggregate into heterogeneous clusters called HERDS, in the interchromatin space. Later, these RNP-containing structures are extruded from the nucleus and leave the cell within cytoplasmic blebs. We propose also a role for HERDS as markers of irreversible transcriptional arrest.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biology, Laboratory of Cell Biology and Neurobiology, University of Pavia, Italy. macrobig@unipv.it
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biggiogera
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bottone
authors.forename: Anna Ivana
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Scovassi
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Soldani
authors.forename: Lorella
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vecchio
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pellicciari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008954:Models, Biological; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D012313:RNA