Figure 8.5. Molecular traffic through nuclear pore complexes.

Figure 8.5Molecular traffic through nuclear pore complexes

Small molecules are able to pass rapidly through open channels in the nuclear pore complex by passive diffusion. In contrast, macromolecules are transported by a selective, energy-dependent mechanism that acts predominantly to import proteins to the nucleus and export RNAs to the cytoplasm.

From: The Nuclear Envelope and Traffic between the Nucleus and Cytoplasm

Cover of The Cell
The Cell: A Molecular Approach. 2nd edition.
Cooper GM.
Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates; 2000.
Copyright © 2000, Geoffrey M Cooper.

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