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Nuclear Translocation

Meaning

A fundamental cellular process in which a protein or signaling molecule moves from the cytoplasm, the main fluid of the cell, across the nuclear envelope into the nucleus. This movement is a critical step in gene regulation, particularly for steroid hormones like testosterone and estrogen, which must enter the nucleus to bind to their receptors and initiate transcription. It represents the final step in many hormone signaling pathways that affect long-term cellular function.