title: The nuclear lamins: flexibility in function.
abstract: The nuclear lamina is an important structural determinant for the nuclear envelope as a whole, attaching chromatin domains to the nuclear periphery and localizing some nuclear envelope proteins. The major components of the lamina are the A-type and B-type lamins, which are members of the intermediate filament protein family. Whereas the expression of A-type lamins is developmentally regulated, B-type lamins, as a class, are found in all cells. The association of B-type lamins with many aspects of nuclear function has led to the view that these are essential proteins, and there is growing evidence suggesting that they regulate cellular senescence. However, B-type lamins are dispensable in certain cell types in vivo, and neither A-type nor B-type lamins may be required in early embryos or embryonic stem cells. The picture that is beginning to emerge is of a complex network of interactions at the nuclear periphery that may be defined by cell- and tissue-specific functions.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biology, 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos 06-06, Singapore 138648. Brian.Burke@ imb.a-star.edu.sg
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: Colin L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D019588:Aging, Premature / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000002:abnormalities; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000235:genetics; D002843:Chromatin; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D007382:Intermediate Filaments / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009137:Muscular Dystrophy, Animal / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D034881:Nuclear Lamina / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D009687:Nuclear Proteins