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Nuclear Morphology and the Biology of Cancer Cells
Author(s) -
Eva Fischer
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
acta cytologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.513
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1938-2650
pISSN - 0001-5547
DOI - 10.1159/000508780
Subject(s) - pathology , chromatin , epigenetics , biology , signal transduction , cell nucleus , microbiology and biotechnology , nuclear membrane , cancer , medicine , cancer research , cytoplasm , genetics , gene
Background: For more than a century, diagnostic pathologists have used morphologic abnormalities of the nucleus as essential diagnostic features to distinguish benign from malignant cells. These features include nuclear enlargement and increased nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio, nuclear membrane irregularities, hyperchromasia, and abnormal chromatin distribution. As our knowledge about the genetic and epigenetic abnormalities of cancer cells has increased in recent decades, the pathophysiologic mechanisms that underlie these morphologic abnormalities remain incompletely understood. Summary: This review attempts to summarize biologic abnormalities in malignant cells related to these morphologic changes. The molecular anatomy of the nuclear envelope in normal and malignant cells is discussed as well as regulation of nuclear size and shape, regulation of signal transduction pathways by molecules of the nuclear envelope, chromatin distribution, and the effects of HPV infection on dysplastic cells in the uterine cervix. Key Message: Causes of morphologic nuclear abnormalities in malignant cells are likely multifactorial. They probably include mutations, dysregulation of signal transduction pathways, abnormal gene expression patterns, alterations of nuclear envelope proteins and chromatin, and aneuploidy.

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