Dynamic view of the nuclear matrix.

The nuclear matrix is an operationally defined nuclear skeletal structure that is believed to be involved in many nuclear functions including DNA replication, transcription, repair, and prem RNA processing/transport. Until relatively recently, the nuclear matrix was thought to be a rigid and static structure, but it is now thought to be dynamic. This paradigm shift was based in part on the tracking of the intranuclear movement of proteins tagged with fluorochromes. In this review, we attempt to redefine the nuclear matrix in light of recent findings and describe some useful techniques for the dynamic analysis of nuclear function.