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    Cell Biol Int. 2009 Feb;33(2):148-57. Epub 2008 Nov 1.

    Co-clustering of Golgi complex and other cytoplasmic organelles to crescentic region of half-moon nuclei during apoptosis.

    Nozawa K, Fritzler MJ, Takasaki Y, Wood MR, Chan EK.

    Department of Rheumatology and Internal Medicine, Juntendo University Urayasu hospital, Institute for Environment and Gender Specific Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan. kazunozawa@juntendo-urayasu.jp

    Early apoptosis is defined by stereotypic morphological changes, especially evident in the nucleus, where chromatin condenses and compacts, and assumes a globular, half-moon or crescent-shaped morphology. Accumulating evidence suggests that cytoplasmic organelles such as mitochondria and the Golgi complex are major sites of integration of pro-apoptotic signaling. In this study, cytoplasmic organelles including Golgi complex, mitochondria, endosomes, lysosomes, and peroxisomes were shown to condense at the same unique region adjacent to the crescentic nucleus during a relatively early stage of apoptosis induced by staurosporine or other agents. The co-clustering phenomenon may be caused by shrinkage of cytoplasm during apoptosis although cytoskeletal markers actin and tubulin were not condensed and appeared excluded. These data suggest the co-clustering of cytoplasmic organelles plays an interesting role during the progression of the apoptotic process. It is possible that modification of pro-apoptotic proteins may arise as a result of the interplay of these cytoplasmic organelles.

    PMID: 19000931 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

    PMCID: 2667205

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