Cell nucleus
The nucleus is the largest cellular organelle in animal cells.
In mammalian cells, the average diameter of the nucleus is approximately 6 micrometres (µm), which occupies about 10% of the total cell volume. The viscous liquid within it is called nucleoplasm (or karyolymph), and is similar in composition to the cytosol found outside the nucleus. It appears as a dense, roughly spherical or irregular organelle. The composition by dry weight of the nucleus is approximately: DNA 9%, RNA 1%, Histone Protein 11%, Residual Protein 14%, Acidic Proteins 65%.
Nuclear localization sequence
Proteins gain entry into the nucleus through the nuclear envelope. The nuclear envelope consists of concentric membranes, the outer and the inner membrane. The inner and outer membranes connect at multiple sites, forming channels between the cytoplasm and the nucleoplasm. These channels are occupied by nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), complex multiprotein structures that mediate the transport across the nuclear membrane.