The What And Why Of The Nucleus
The nucleus of the cell is where gene sequencing takes place. It is the centre of the cell where the information about the organism is stored and were replication takes place. Most eukaryotic cells (cells that can organize themselves into complex tissues and are found in animals and plants) have nuclei. Prokaryotic cells (cells without a nucleus) are found in bacteria a archaea.
The nucleus has an outer double membrane, known as the nuclear envelope, that serves to keep the contents of the nucleus separated from the cytoplasm of the cell and the second layer is a mesh-like structure called the nuclear lamina which adds structural support to the nucleus wall.
This outside wall is impermeable to most molecules (meaning that molecules cannot pass through it), and therefore, requires nuclear pores that pass through both outside membranes. This allows the passage of smaller molecules.
In the nucleus we will find the other items we have mentioned such as the DNA, chromosomes, genes and the double helix. The nucleus also contains other items such as a large variety of proteins etc. but that would take us into much more complex territory and as we are trying to simplify this subject, we will leave them to another time.
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