termsTerm
Nucleus
aka cell nucleus
The compartment at the centre of a cell that holds the DNA, like a library that keeps the master copies of every instruction the cell might need.
The nucleus is enclosed by its own membrane and contains the chromosomes, together with the enzymes that copy DNA before division and read genes into RNA. Many cancer drugs act here: chemotherapy damages DNA or jams its copying, PARP inhibitors block a DNA-repair enzyme, and hormone therapies stop receptors from switching genes on. Pathologists also read the nucleus under the microscope, because enlarged, irregular, dark nuclei are one of the classic signs of malignancy.
Category
Biology basics