Nesprin isoforms: are they inside or outside the nucleus?

Abstract

The giant isoforms of nesprins 1 and 2 are emerging as important players in cellular organization, particularly in the positioning of nuclei, and possibly other organelles, within the cytoplasm. The experimental evidence suggests that nesprins also occur at the inner nuclear membrane, where they interact with the nuclear lamina. In this paper, we consider whether this is consistent with current ideas about nesprin anchorage and about mechanisms for nuclear import of membrane proteins.