Centrifugal Displacement of Nuclei in Adherent Cells to Study LINC Complex-Dependent Mechanisms of Homeostatic Nuclear Positioning

Abstract

The positioning of the nucleus is critical for key cellular processes including division, migration, and differentiation. Traditional approaches to understanding the functions and mechanisms of nuclear positioning have relied upon cellular systems in which nuclei move in response to stimuli or developmental programs and use molecular or pharmacological perturbations of nuclear and cytoskeletal elements. Here, we describe a complimentary approach to perturbing nuclear position in adherent cells using centrifugal force and how this may be used to understand LINC complex mechanisms of homeostatic nuclear positioning.