Nucleus & Nuclear Transport

Explore how cargo crosses nuclear pore complexes.

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Learning mode

Transport stages

Nuclear transport conditions

Cargo diameter8 nm
Nuclear pore openness75%
Transport receptors70%
Ran-GTP gradient80%
Cellular energy100%
Simulation speed1×

Live transport data

Transport probability0%
Successful cargo0
Nuclear level0%
Flux0 /s
Tap a structure or cargo for a microscopic view.

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Narrated nuclear transport lesson

Chapters

Learning objectives

  • Identify the nuclear envelope, pore complex, nucleoplasm, chromatin and nucleolus.
  • Compare passive diffusion with receptor-mediated nuclear transport.
  • Explain how nuclear localization and export signals select cargo.
  • Relate the Ran-GTP gradient to transport direction.

Key concepts

  • Small molecules diffuse through pores; large cargo usually needs transport receptors.
  • Importins recognize nuclear localization signals.
  • Export receptors move selected RNA and proteins to the cytoplasm.
  • Ran-GTP provides directionality, not a mechanical push through the pore.

Suggested experiments

  • Increase cargo size while passive diffusion is selected.
  • Reduce pore openness and observe flux.
  • Remove transport receptors during protein import.
  • Collapse the Ran gradient and compare docking with successful release.

Knowledge check

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