The nuclear envelope is a double membrane structure, continuous with endoplasmic reticulum, and the morphological organization of both these structures is quite conservative. However, nuclear envelope and endoplasmic reticulum demonstrate distinct structural plasticity, i. e., based on common organization, cells may form various non-canonical membrane structures that are observed only in specialized types of cells or appear in different pathologies. In this review, we will discuss the mechanisms of the biogenesis of such non-canonical structures, and the possible role of this plasticity in the development of pathological processes. © Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, NAS of Ukraine, 2014.