[New method of encapsulating isolated nuclei into a lipid membrane]

Area of Science:

• Cell biology
• Biochemistry
• Membrane science

Context:

• Isolated cell nuclei are susceptible to content leakage and external molecular interference.
• Understanding nuclear envelope permeability is crucial for cellular processes.
• Phosphatidylcholine is a key component of biological membranes.

Purpose:

• To describe a novel method for coating isolated cell nuclei with phosphatidylcholine membranes.
• To visualize the applied membrane coating using ferritin labeling.
• To evaluate the effect of the coating on nuclear permeability and content stability.

Summary:

• A new technique involves coating isolated cell nuclei with additional phosphatidylcholine membranes.
• Ferritin labeling was employed for electron microscopic visualization of the membrane coating.
• The coating effectively reduced the leakage of nuclear contents.
• The modified nuclei exhibited restricted permeability to external macromolecules.

Impact:

• This method provides a tool to stabilize isolated nuclei for experimental manipulation.
• The findings contribute to the understanding of nuclear envelope function and integrity.
• Potential applications in nuclear transplantation and studies of nuclear transport.