Nuclear speckles

Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2011 Feb 1;3(2):a000646. doi: 10.1101/cshperspect.a000646.

Abstract

Nuclear speckles, also known as interchromatin granule clusters, are nuclear domains enriched in pre-mRNA splicing factors, located in the interchromatin regions of the nucleoplasm of mammalian cells. When observed by immunofluorescence microscopy, they usually appear as 20-50 irregularly shaped structures that vary in size. Speckles are dynamic structures, and their constituents can exchange continuously with the nucleoplasm and other nuclear locations, including active transcription sites. Studies on the composition, structure, and dynamics of speckles have provided an important paradigm for understanding the functional organization of the nucleus and the dynamics of the gene expression machinery.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cell Cycle / physiology*
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism*
  • Cell Nucleus Structures / metabolism*
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism*
  • RNA Splicing / physiology*
  • Transcription, Genetic / physiology*

Substances

  • Nuclear Proteins