During cell growth and motility in crowded tissues or interstitial spaces, cells must integrate multiple physical and biochemical environmental inputs. After a number of recent studies, the view of the nucleus as a passive object that cells have to drag along has become obsolete, placing the nucleus as a central player in sensing some of these inputs. In the present review, we will focus on changes in nuclear shape caused by external and internal forces. Depending on their magnitude, nuclear deformations can generate signaling events that modulate cell behavior and fate, or be a source of perturbations or even damage, having detrimental effects on cellular functions. On very large deformations, nuclear envelope rupture events become frequent, leading to uncontrolled nucleocytoplasmic mixing and DNA damage. We will also discuss the consequences of repeated compromised nuclear integrity, which can trigger DNA surveillance mechanisms, with critical consequences to cell fate and tissue homeostasis.

中文翻译：

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核变形，从信号到扰动和损坏。

在拥挤的组织或间隙空间中的细胞生长和运动过程中，细胞必须整合多种物理和生化环境输入。在最近的一些研究之后，将细胞核视为细胞必须拖动的被动物体的观点已经过时，将细胞核作为感知其中一些输入的核心参与者。在本综述中，我们将重点关注由外力和内力引起的核形状变化。根据它们的大小，核变形可以产生调节细胞行为和命运的信号事件，或者成为扰动甚至损伤的来源，对细胞功能产生不利影响。在非常大的变形中，核膜破裂事件变得频繁，导致不受控制的核质混合和 DNA 损伤。