Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Euchromatin01:01

Euchromatin

7.2K
The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions take up more dye, appearing darker, while the less-compact areas take up less dye and appear lighter. Based on the compaction level, chromatins are classified into two primary forms – euchromatin and heterochromatin.
Euchromatin is the less dense region of the chromatin and stains lighter. Euchromatin contains histone H3 extensively...
7.2K
Chromatin Packaging01:32

Chromatin Packaging

17.0K
Each human somatic cell contains 6 billion base pairs of DNA. Each base pair is 0.34 nm long, meaning each diploid cell contains a staggering 2 meters of DNA. This long DNA strand is packed inside a nucleus measuring only 10-20 microns in diameter with the help of specialized DNA-binding proteins called histones. Together they form a compact DNA-protein complex called chromatin. The chromatin is further compacted into higher-order structures. The highest level of compaction is achieved during...
17.0K
DNA Packaging00:58

DNA Packaging

103.3K
Overview
103.3K
Heterochromatin02:38

Heterochromatin

14.3K
The extent of chromatin compaction can be studied by staining chromatin using specific DNA binding dyes. Under the microscope, the dense-compacted regions that take up more dye are called heterochromatin. Heterochromatin is further classified into two forms – constitutive heterochromatin and facultative heterochromatin.
Constitutive heterochromatin: It is a highly compact region of chromatin that is mostly concentrated in the centromere and telomere. Unlike euchromatin, the amino acid at...
14.3K
Genomic DNA in Eukaryotes00:58

Genomic DNA in Eukaryotes

47.6K
Eukaryotes have large genomes compared to prokaryotes. To fit their genomes into a cell, eukaryotic DNA is packaged extraordinarily tightly inside the nucleus. To achieve this, DNA is tightly wound around proteins called histones, which are packaged into nucleosomes that are joined by linker DNA and coil into chromatin fibers. Additional fibrous proteins further compact the chromatin, which is recognizable as chromosomes during certain phases of cell division.
47.6K
Apoptosis01:30

Apoptosis

11.8K
Apoptosis is a combination of two Greek words, 'apo' and 'ptosis,' meaning separation and falling off, respectively. Hippocrates used this word to describe gangrene, which was caused due to bandaging of fractured bones. Apoptosis was distinguished from necrosis in 1970 when John Kerr reported observations of morphological changes occurring during apoptosis. During one experiment, he observed that the disruption of blood supply to the liver tissue resulted in a size...
11.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Lamin B1 safeguards the B cell genome and shapes lymphoma outcome.

HemaSphere·2026
Same author

Single-molecule localization microscopy imaging of extracellular vesicle DNA in recipient cells.

Journal of translational medicine·2026
Same author

Cell aging - a relevant factor in live cell microscopy (mini-review).

Progress in biophysics and molecular biology·2025
Same author

Structural White Matter Correlates of the Crowding Effect: Insights From a Tractography Study of the Arcuate Fasciculus Post-Hemispherotomy.

Human brain mapping·2025
Same author

Reactivatable stimulated emission depletion microscopy using fluorescence-recoverable nanographene.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Self-Blinking Thioflavin T for Super-resolution Imaging.

The journal of physical chemistry letters·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 2, 2025

Activation of Apoptosis by Cytoplasmic Microinjection of Cytochrome c
07:42

Activation of Apoptosis by Cytoplasmic Microinjection of Cytochrome c

Published on: June 29, 2011

17.5K

Chromatin compaction precedes apoptosis in developing neurons.

Renata Rose1, Nicolas Peschke1, Elena Nigi1

  • 1Institute of Physiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.

Communications Biology
|August 8, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Chromatin compaction in neuronal nuclei precedes apoptosis execution, impacting cell death. These early structural changes are crucial and not part of the final apoptotic process.

More Related Videos

Neuronal Nuclei Isolation from Human Postmortem Brain Tissue
10:58

Neuronal Nuclei Isolation from Human Postmortem Brain Tissue

Published on: October 1, 2008

22.2K
Isolation and Cultivation of Neural Progenitors Followed by Chromatin-Immunoprecipitation of Histone 3 Lysine 79 Dimethylation Mark
10:09

Isolation and Cultivation of Neural Progenitors Followed by Chromatin-Immunoprecipitation of Histone 3 Lysine 79 Dimethylation Mark

Published on: January 26, 2018

7.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 2, 2025

Activation of Apoptosis by Cytoplasmic Microinjection of Cytochrome c
07:42

Activation of Apoptosis by Cytoplasmic Microinjection of Cytochrome c

Published on: June 29, 2011

17.5K
Neuronal Nuclei Isolation from Human Postmortem Brain Tissue
10:58

Neuronal Nuclei Isolation from Human Postmortem Brain Tissue

Published on: October 1, 2008

22.2K
Isolation and Cultivation of Neural Progenitors Followed by Chromatin-Immunoprecipitation of Histone 3 Lysine 79 Dimethylation Mark
10:09

Isolation and Cultivation of Neural Progenitors Followed by Chromatin-Immunoprecipitation of Histone 3 Lysine 79 Dimethylation Mark

Published on: January 26, 2018

7.6K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cellular morphology changes during apoptosis are known, but nuclear architecture alterations are poorly understood.
  • Understanding nuclear events is crucial for comprehending programmed cell death in neurons.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the subcellular changes in nuclear architecture during neuronal apoptosis.
  • To determine the role of chromatin compaction in the early stages of apoptosis.

Main Methods:

  • Super-resolution imaging of nucleosomes in vitro and in vivo.
  • Pharmacological inhibition of caspase-3 and modulation of actomyosin activity.
  • Analysis of chromatin compaction at different stages of apoptosis.

Main Results:

  • Chromatin compaction precedes caspase-3 activation and nucleus shrinkage in cortical neurons.
  • Early chromatin compaction is independent of caspase-3 execution pathways.
  • Interfering with chromatin dynamics via actomyosin modulation prevents apoptosis, leading to necrotic-like cell death.
  • Chromatin compaction progresses through five distinct stages during apoptosis.

Conclusions:

  • Chromatin compaction is an early, critical event preceding apoptosis execution in developing cortical neurons.
  • These structural nuclear changes are integral to initiating apoptotic cell death, not part of its final execution phase.
  • Modulating chromatin dynamics offers potential therapeutic targets for controlling neuronal cell death pathways.