Journal scope
Journal scope
Molecular cell biology is a marriage of two distinct, yet complementary, disciplines. In its traditional sense, the term 'molecular biology' refers to study of the macromolecules essential to life — nucleic acids and proteins. The field of cell biology is a natural extension of this, integrating what we know at the molecular level into an understanding of processes and interactions at the cellular level. Only by combining both fields can we paint a broad picture of essential biological processes such as how cells divide, grow, communicate and die.
Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology takes readers on a journey from the nucleus of a cell to its boundaries and beyond. It features Reviews and Perspectives articles on a broad range of topics, and highlights important primary papers and technological progress. The scope of the journal includes:
Subjects covered
- Cell signalling (signalling networks, ion channels, gap junctions)
- Membrane dynamics (membrane organization, endocytosis, exocytosis, organelle biogenesis)
- Cell adhesion (adhesion molecules, extracellular matrix)
- Cytoskeletal dynamics (cell motility, molecular motors, actin, microtubules, intermediate filaments)
- Developmental cell biology (developmental signalling, differentiation, asymmetric cell division, stem cells)
- Cell growth and division (cell cycle, cytokinesis, cancer)
- Cell death (apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, ageing)
- Cellular microbiology (host–pathogen interactions)
- Plant cell biology
- Gene expression (transcription, splicing, RNA stability, translation, RNA interference, circadian rhythms)
- Nucleic-acid metabolism (DNA repair, recombination and replication, RNA biogenesis)
- Chromosome biology (chromatin, chromosome structure, transposons)
- Nuclear transport (import and export of molecules to and from the nucleus)
- Bioenergetics (respiration, photosynthesis, organelle biochemistry)
- Protein structure and metabolism (structure-function relationships, quality control, post-translational modifications, folding, translocation, degradation)
- Technology and techniques (imaging, proteomics, systems biology, bioinformatics)
