Mechanotransduction via the nuclear envelope: a distant reflection of the cell surface

Abstract

As the largest and stiffest organelle in the cell, the nucleus can be subjected to significant forces generated by the cytoskeleton to adjust its shape and position, and accommodate the cellular machinery during cell migration, differentiation or division. As it was anticipated, recent work showed that mechanosensitive mechanisms exist in the nucleus and regulate its structure and function in response to mechanical force. While the molecular mechanisms that mediate this response are only beginning to be elucidated, the nuclear envelope seems to play a central role in this process. Here, we review these nuclear mechanosensitive mechanisms and highlight their functional homology with those located at the cell surface. Additionally, we discuss how these nuclear envelope mechanisms function during adhesion and migration, and how they participate in cytoskeletal organization, via direct physical contact or signaling event regulation.