Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Nuclear Transmutation

Nuclear Transmutation

Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one nuclide into another. It can occur by the radioactive decay of a nucleus, or the reaction of a nucleus with another particle. The first manmade nucleus was produced in Ernest Rutherford’s laboratory in 1919 by a transmutation reaction, the bombardment of one type of nuclei with other nuclei or with neutrons. Rutherford bombarded nitrogen-14 atoms with high-speed α particles from a natural radioactive isotope of radium and observed...

Directionality of Nuclear Transport

Directionality of Nuclear Transport

Ras-related nuclear protein or Ran is a small G protein that cycles between its GTP and GDP bound states. Ran specific regulators, a Ran GTPase Activating Protein or RanGAP present in the cytosol and a Ran guanine nucleotide exchange factor or RanGEF present inside the nucleus regulate GTP/GDP exchange. A high concentration of GTP inside the cells, in addition to this asymmetric distribution of Ran-specific regulators, leads to a higher RanGTP concentration inside the nucleus. This...

Molecular Models

Molecular Models

Physical models representing molecular architectures of chemical compounds play essential roles in understanding chemistry. The use of molecular models makes it easier to visualize the structures and shapes of atoms and molecules.

Nuclear Stability

Nuclear Stability

Protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are packed together tightly in a nucleus. With a radius of about 10−15 meters, a nucleus is quite small compared to the radius of the entire atom, which is about 10−10 meters. Nuclei are extremely dense compared to bulk matter, averaging 1.8 × 1014 grams per cubic centimeter. If the earth’s density were equal to the average nuclear density, the earth’s radius would be only about 200 meters.
To hold positively charged protons together...

Nuclear Fission

Nuclear Fission

Many heavier elements with smaller binding energies per nucleon can decompose into more stable elements that have intermediate mass numbers and larger binding energies per nucleon—that is, mass numbers and binding energies per nucleon that are closer to the “peak” of the binding energy graph near 56. Sometimes neutrons are also produced. This decomposition of a large nucleus into smaller pieces is called fission. The breaking is rather random with the formation of a large...

Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear Fusion

The process of converting very light nuclei into heavier nuclei is also accompanied by the conversion of mass into large amounts of energy, a process called fusion. The principal source of energy in the sun is a net fusion reaction in which four hydrogen nuclei fuse and ultimately produce one helium nucleus and two positrons.
A helium nucleus has a mass that is 0.7% less than that of four hydrogen nuclei; this lost mass is converted into energy during the fusion. This reaction produces about...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Uncovering piezoelectric effect in polycrystalline diamond membranes.

Science advances·2026

Same author

Topology Outweighs Stiffness: Self-Reinforced Cell Mechanotransduction via Multiaxial Curvature Engineering of Ultrasoft Hydrogels.

ACS nano·2026

Same author

Nuclear Deformation and Stiffness-Dependent Traction Force Generation Dictate the Migration of Cells under Confinement.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2025

Same author

Selective Addressing of Versatile Nanodiamonds <i>via</i> Physically-Enabled Classifier in Complex Biosystems.

Nano letters·2025

Same author

Scalable Reshaping of Diamond Particles via Programmable Nanosculpting.

ACS nano·2024

Same author

Scalable production of ultraflat and ultraflexible diamond membrane.

Nature·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 25, 2025

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses

Published on: June 7, 2018

Modelling Nuclear Morphology and Shape Transformation: A Review.

Chao Fang^1,2, Jiaxing Yao^1,2, Xingyu Xia^1,2

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.

|August 6, 2021

Summary

This review covers continuum models for predicting nuclear envelope (NE) shape changes, crucial for understanding mechanotransduction and diseases like cancer. These models offer insights into nuclear mechanics and morphology.

Keywords:

continuum models nuclear mechanics shape transformation

More Related Videos

Why Quantification Matters: Characterization of Phenotypes at the Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction

Why Quantification Matters: Characterization of Phenotypes at the Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction

Published on: May 12, 2016

Contrast-Matching Detergent in Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Experiments for Membrane Protein Structural Analysis and Ab Initio Modeling

Contrast-Matching Detergent in Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Experiments for Membrane Protein Structural Analysis and Ab Initio Modeling

Published on: October 21, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 25, 2025

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses

Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses

Published on: June 7, 2018

Why Quantification Matters: Characterization of Phenotypes at the Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction

Why Quantification Matters: Characterization of Phenotypes at the Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junction

Published on: May 12, 2016

Contrast-Matching Detergent in Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Experiments for Membrane Protein Structural Analysis and Ab Initio Modeling

Contrast-Matching Detergent in Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Experiments for Membrane Protein Structural Analysis and Ab Initio Modeling

Published on: October 21, 2018

Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Biophysics
Computational Biology

Background:

The nucleus, a key cellular compartment, houses genetic material, protected by the nuclear envelope (NE).
NE morphology changes are linked to nuclear mechanotransduction and diseases, including cancer and Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome.
Understanding the physical mechanisms of nuclear shape transformation is vital for biological insights.

Purpose of the Study:

To review continuum-level approaches for predicting cell nucleus morphology and shape changes.
To discuss the advantages and limitations of energy minimization, boundary integral, and finite element-based models.
To stimulate further research into nuclear mechanics and shape transformation.

Main Methods:

Review of theoretical continuum mechanics models.
Analysis of energy minimization approaches.
Evaluation of boundary integral and finite element-based methods.

Main Results:

Detailed discussion of essential gradients within different models.
Comparative analysis of the relative advantages and limitations of each modeling approach.
Identification of key physical mechanisms governing nuclear shape transformation.

Conclusions:

Continuum models provide powerful tools for predicting nuclear envelope dynamics.
Understanding NE morphology is critical for disease pathogenesis and mechanotransduction research.
Further investigation into these computational models can advance nuclear biology.