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- Nucleus:
- A cross section through the nucleus
- reveals that it is actually a double
- membrane organelle. The membrane
- is often called the NUCLEAR ENVELOP
- because of its double membrane
- construction. The OUTER MEMBRANE is
- covered with ribosomes. It functions
- like the rough endoplasmic reticulum.
- It is often seen to be continuous
- with the rER when electron
- micrographs are examined closely.
- It is unclear if special types of
- proteins utilize the outer membrane
- differently from those that attach
- to the rER. In some cells that have
- mostly sER the outer membrane may
- function as the only membrane to bind
- ribosomes. The INNER MEMBRANE in
- contrast does not have ribosomes.
- Instead it is the attachment sites
- of the chromosomes. The chromosomes
- can be seen on this EM as dark
- patches. Between the chromosomes
- and the inner membrane is a network
- of fibers called the NUCLEAR LAMINA
- . This network is needed to keep the
- fragile nucleus together.
- During prophase of mitosis the
- nuclear envelop disappears. A
- special enzyme phosphorylates the
- nuclear lamina protein ( protein
- kinase ). This causes it to fall
- into small segments, which blend in
- easily with the ER. During telophase
- the nuclear envelope is reassembled
- in each daughter cell. Presumably the
- phosphate is removed from the lamina
- to accomplish this. No new protein
- synthesis is needed.
- The remaining feature of the
- nucleus is the pore complex which
- will be explained on the next images.