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Updated: Jun 16, 2026
10:02
Identification of Enhancer-Promoter Contacts in Embryoid Bodies by Quantitative Chromosome Conformation Capture (4C)
Published on: April 29, 2020
Gene expression in the third dimension: the ECM-nucleus connection
Virginia A Spencer1, Ren Xu, Mina J Bissell
1Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, MS 977R225A, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. vaspencer@lbl.gov
Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia
|January 29, 2010
Summary
The extracellular matrix influences cell behavior and tissue development. This review explores how the extracellular matrix affects nuclear structure and function to guide mammary gland development.
Area of Science:
- Cell biology
- Developmental biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Cellular phenotype and tissue structure are dictated by cell-environment interactions.
- Extracellular matrix (ECM) effects on cell growth and gene expression are known.
- Nuclear mechanisms linking ECM to physiological events are unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review how ECM influences nuclear structure and function.
- To discuss ECM's role in mammary gland epithelial morphogenesis and function.
- To explore these mechanisms in a three-dimensional context.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on mammary epithelial cells.
- Analysis of ECM-nucleus interactions in 3D culture models.
- Discussion of molecular pathways involved.
Main Results:
- ECM components bind to cell surface receptors, initiating signaling cascades.
- These signals alter chromatin organization and nuclear architecture.
- Changes in nuclear structure correlate with altered gene expression and cell behavior.
Conclusions:
- ECM signaling profoundly impacts nuclear function and organization.
- Understanding these nuclear mechanisms is crucial for tissue development and regeneration.
- Further research into ECM-nuclear interplay can reveal therapeutic targets.
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