A Case for the Nuclear Membrane as a Mechanotransducer.

The cell nucleus is becoming increasingly recognized as a mechanosensitive organelle. Most research on nuclear mechanosignaling focuses on the nuclear lamina and coupled actin structures. In this commentary, we discuss the possibility that the nuclear membrane senses and transduces mechanical signals similar to the plasma membrane. We briefly summarize possible (i) pathophysiological sources of nuclear membrane tension, (ii) features that render nuclear membranes particularly suited for mechanotransduction, and (iii) molecular sensing mechanisms.