The Laminopathies and the Insights They Provide into the Structural and Functional Organization of the Nucleus

In recent years, our perspective on the cell nucleus has evolved from the view that it is a passive but permeable storage organelle housing the cell's genetic material to an understanding that it is in fact a highly organized, integrative, and dynamic regulatory hub. In particular, the subcompartment at the nuclear periphery, comprising the nuclear envelope and the underlying lamina, is now known to be a critical nexus in the regulation of chromatin organization, transcriptional output, biochemical and mechanosignaling pathways, and, more recently, cytoskeletal organization. We review the various functional roles of the nuclear periphery and their deregulation in diseases of the nuclear envelope, specifically the laminopathies, which, despite their rarity, provide insights into contemporary health-care issues.