Welcome to our monthly trawl for developmental and stem cell biology (and related) preprints.

The preprints this month are hosted on bioRxiv and arXiv – use these links below to get to the section you want:

Developmental biology

• Patterning & signalling
• Morphogenesis & mechanics
• Genes & genomes
• Stem cells, regeneration & disease modelling
• Plant development
• Environment, evolution and development

Cell Biology

Modelling

Tools & Resources

Research practice and education

Developmental biology

| Patterning & signalling

Hypomorphic NOTCH1 Expression Alters Cardiomyocyte Cellular Architecture in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

Jordann Lewis,  Travis B. Lear, Brent Schlegel, Dominic Woods, Krithika Rao, Amy Sentis,  Jay Tan, Rajaganapathi Jagannathan, Zaineb Javed, Aine N. Boudreau,  Timothy Nelson,  Mousumi Moulik,  Nadine Hempel, Bill B. Chen,  Sruti Shiva,  Dhivyaa Rajasundaram, Toren Finkel,  Anita Saraf

Collaborative role of two distinct cilium-specific cytoskeletal systems in driving Hedgehog-responsive transcription factor trafficking

Pei-I Ku,  Jamuna S Sreeja, Abhishek Chadha, David S Williams, Martin F Engelke, Radhika Subramanian

The C. elegans LON-1 protein requires its CAP domain for function in regulating body size and BMP signaling

Maria Victoria Serrano, Stephanie Cottier, Lianzijun Wang, Sergio Moreira-Antepara, Anthony Nzessi, Zhiyu Liu, Byron Williams, Myeongwoo Lee,  Roger Schneiter,  Jun Liu

An evolutionarily conserved role for VEGF signaling in the expansion of non-vascular tissue during regeneration

 Aaron M. Savage, Alexandra C. Wagner,  Ryan T. Kim, Paul Gilbert,  Hani D. Singer,  Erica Chen,  Elane M. Kim,  Noah Lopez,  Kelly E. Dooling,  Julia C. Paoli,  S.Y. Celeste Wu,  Sebastian Bohm,  Rachna Chilambi,  Tim Froitzheim,  Steven J. Blair,  Connor Powell,  Adnan Abouelela, Anna G. Luong,  Kara N. Thornton,  Benjamin Tajer,  Duygu Payzin-Dogru,  Jessica L. Whited

A spatially-resolved blueprint of the developing human lung reveals a WNT-driven niche for basal stem cells

Peggy P. Hsu,  Ansley S. Conchola,  Tristan Frum, Xiangning Dong, Lila Tudrick, Varun Ponnusamy, Michael S. Downey, Manqi Wu, Mengkun Yang, Yusoo Lee, Emma Niestroy, Yu-Hwai Tsai, Angeline Wu, Sha Huang, Ian A. Glass, Sofia D. Merajver,  Jason R. Spence

EPHA2 Regulates SOX2 during Esophageal Development

 Tianxia Li,  Yosuke Mitani,  Ricardo Cruz-Acuña, Tatiana A. Karaksheva,  Varun Sahu, Cecilia Martin,  Hiroshi Nakagawa,  Joel Gabre

BMP signaling modulations control primitive streak patterning

 Gaël Simon, Jean-Louis Plouhinec,  Pascale Gilardi-Hebenstreit,  Benoit Sorre,  Jérôme Collignon

doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.10.01.616050

Single-nucleus transcriptomics of wing sexual dimorphism and scale cell specialization in sulphur butterflies

 Ling S. Loh,  Joseph J. Hanly,  Alexander Carter,  Martik Chatterjee, Martina Tsimba,  Donya N. Shodja,  Luca Livraghi,  Christopher R. Day,  Robert D. Reed,  W. Owen McMillan,  Gregory A. Wray,  Arnaud Martin

WNT-mediating TCF/LEF transcription factor gene expression in early human pluripotency and cell lineages differs from the rodent paradigm

Connor Ross,  Takuya Azami, Marika Salonna, Richard Gyuris,  Jennifer Nichols,  Stefan Hoppler

Cellular signalling protrusions enable dynamic distant contacts in spinal cord neurogenesis

 Joshua Hawley,  Robert Lea,  Veronica Biga,  Nancy Papalopulu,  Cerys Manning

MMP21 behaves as a fluid flow transported morphogen to impart laterality during development

Tim Ott, Amelie Brugger, Emmanuelle Szenker-Ravi, Yvonne Kurrle, Olivia Aberle, Matthias Tisler, Martin Blum, Sandra Whalen, Patrice Bouvagnet, Bruno Reversade, Axel Schweickert

Independent control of neurogenesis and dorsoventral patterning by NKX2-2

Sumin Jang, Elena Abarinov, Julie Dobkin, Hynek Wichterle

CMTM4 is an adhesion modulator that regulates skeletal patterning and primary mesenchyme cell migration in sea urchin embryos

Abigail E. Descoteaux, Marko Radulovic, Dona Alburi,  Cynthia A. Bradham

Evidence for strong cell-scale signalling during planar polarisation in the Drosophila wing

Alexandre Carayon,  David Strutt

Shh signaling directs dorsal ventral patterning in the regenerating X. tropicalis spinal cord

 Avery Angell Swearer, Samuel Perkowski,  Andrea Wills

Cluster Assembly Dynamics Drive Fidelity of Planar Cell Polarity Polarization

 Silas Boye Nissen,  Alexis T. Weiner, Kaye Suyama,  Pablo Sanchez Bosch, Song Song, Yuan Gu,  Alexander R. Dunn,  Jeffrey D. Axelrod

Capicua maintains anterior-posterior axis in Blattella germanica ovaries

 Nashwa Elshaer,  Jorge Escudero,  Maria-Dolors Piulachs

Shc1 cooperates with Frs2 and Shp2 to recruit Grb2 in FGF-induced lens development

Qian Wang, Hongge Li, Yingyu Mao, Ankur Garg, Eun Sil Park, Yihua Wu, Alyssa Chow, John Peregrin,  Xin Zhang

Characterization of Hippo Signaling Components in the Early Dorsal Pancreatic Bud

 Neha Ahuja,  Caitlin Maynard, Tyler Bierschenck,  Ondine Cleaver

Irx3/5 define the cochlear sensory domain and regulate vestibular and cochlear sensory patterning in the mammalian inner ear

Yuchen Liu,  Tianli Qin,  Xin Weng, Bernice Leung, Karl Kam Hei So, Boshi Wang, Wanying Feng, Alexander Marsolais, Sheena Josselyn,  Pingbo Huang, Bernd Fritzsch, Chi-Chung Hui,  Mai Har Sham

Differential Sensitivity of Midline Patterning to Mitosis during and after Primitive Streak Extension

 Zhiling Zhao,  Rieko Asai,  Takashi Mikawa

Notch, β-catenin and MAPK signaling segregate endoderm and mesoderm in the diploblast Nematostella vectensis

Emmanuel Haillot, Tatiana Lebedeva, Julia Steger,  Grigory Genikhovich, Juan D. Montenegro,  Alison G. Cole,  Ulrich Technau

| Morphogenesis & mechanics

Morphomechanic tuning of ERK by actin-TFII-IΔ regulates cell identity

 Qiao Wu,  Jian Zhang, Bing Long, Xiao Hu, Bruna Mafra de Faria, Stephen Maxwell Scalf, Kutay Karatepe, Wenxiang Cao, Nikolaos Tsopoulidis, Andres Binkercosen, Masaki Yagi, Aaron Weiner, Mary Kaileh, Enrique M. De La Cruz,  Ananda L Roy,  Konrad Hochedlinger,  Shangqin Guo

Anisotropic stretch biases the self-organization of actin fibers in multicellular Hydra aggregates

 Anaïs Bailles, Giulia Serafini, Heino Andreas,  Christoph Zechner,  Carl Modes,  Pavel Tomancak

Melanocyte differentiation and mechanosensation are differentially modulated by distinct extracellular matrix proteins

 Carole Luthold,  Marie Didion,  Emilio Benedum,  Ann-Kathrin Burkhart,  Nina Demmerle,  Gubesh Gunaratnam,  Vanessa Samira Rácz,  Markus Bischoff,  Annika Ridzal,  Sandra Iden

Rho/Rok-dependent regulation of actomyosin contractility at tricellular junctions controls epithelial permeability in Drosophila

 Thea Jacobs,  Jone Isasti Sanchez, Steven Reger,  Stefan Luschnig

Three-dimensional quantitative micro-elastography reveals alterations in spatial elasticity patterns of follicles and corpora lutea in murine ovaries during ageing

Anna Jaeschke, Matt S. Hepburn, Alireza Mowla, Brendan F. Kennedy,  Chii Jou Chan

Mechanical properties are tuned during development with the fibrous network nature of the Arabidopsis cell wall

Si Chen, Isabella Burda, Purvil Jani, Bex Pendrak, Meredith N. Silberstein, Adrienne H.K. Roeder

Mechanical control of germ cell specification in Arabidopsis anthers

Chan Liu, Hui Shi, Yuting Han, Pan Wang, Kexin Li, Zhishuai Zhang, Jiazheng Liu, Yafeng Zheng, Linlin Li, Limei Lin, Chen Liang, Binjun Qin, Hua Han, Shunong Bai, Xiao Liu, Wenqian Chen, Feng Zhao

Spatiotemporal dynamics of primary and motile cilia throughout lung development

 Stephen Spurgin, Ange Michelle Nguimtsop,  Fatima N. Chaudhry,  Sylvia N. Michki,  Jocelynda Salvador,  M. Luisa Iruela-Arispe,  Jarod A. Zepp,  Saikat Mukhopadhyay,  Ondine Cleaver

IGF2 mediates Hippo signaling to control liver size

 Zhenxing Zhong, Ruxin Jin, Yiting Zhong, Li Zhang, Deqian Chen, Zhihan Jiao, Fanhui Zhou, Rui Zhu, Jian Wu, Rui Dong, Kuiran Dong, Fei Lan, Yu Wang, Kun-Liang Guan,  Fa-Xing Yu

Mechanical regulation of tissue flatness in Marchantia

 Jordan Ferria, Carla J.A. Fournié, Magdalena H. Jankowska, Doron Grossman,  Adrienne H.K. Roeder,  Stéphanie Drevensek,  Arezki Boudaoud

A mitochondrial redox switch licenses the onset of morphogenesis in animals

Updip Kahlon, Francesco Dalla Ricca, Saraswathi J. Pillai,  Marine Olivetta,  Kevin M. Tharp,  Li-En Jao,  Omaya Dudin, Kent McDonald,  Mustafa G. Aydogan

Mechanochemical Patterning Localizes the Organizer of a Luminal Epithelium

Sera Lotte Weevers, Alistair D. Falconer, Moritz Mercker, Hajar Sadeghi, Jaroslav Ferenc, Albrecht Ott, Dietmar B. Oelz, Anna Marciniak-Czochra, Charisios D. Tsiairis

Tissue-Like Multicellular Development Triggered by Mechanical Compression in Archaea

Theopi Rados, Olivia S. Leland, Pedro Escudeiro, John Mallon, Katherine Andre, Ido Caspy, Andriko von Kügelgen, Elad Stolovicki, Sinead Nguyen, Inés Lucía Patop, Thiberio Rangel, Sebastian Kadener, Lars D. Renner, Vera Thiel, Yoav Soen,  Tanmay A.M. Bharat, Vikram Alva,  Alex Bisson

| Genes & genomes

Early zygotic engineering promotes targeted large transgene integration and direct production of fully transgenic animals

 Khusali Gupta, Ping Xu, Judith Gallant, Yeonsoo Yoon, Jaime A. Rivera-Pérez,  Jeanne B. Lawrence

doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.09.29.615605

Epigenome profiling identifies H3K27me3 regulation of extra-cellular matrix composition in human corticogenesis

 Nora Ditzer, Ezgi Senoglu,  Theresa M. Schütze, Aikaterina Nikolaidi,  Annika Kolodziejczyk,  Katrin Sameith, Sevina Dietz,  Razvan P. Derihaci, Cahit Birdir,  Anne Eugster,  Mike O. Karl,  Andreas Dahl, Pauline Wimberger, Franziska Baenke,  Claudia Peitzsch,  Mareike Albert

Single-cell RNA-seq Reveals Early Transcriptional Programs of the Maternal to Zygote Transition in Mice and Rats

Yangqi Su, Evguenia Kouranova, Jonathan Shea, Xiaoxia Cui,  Zhengchang Su

Tissue-specific transcriptomics uncovers novel craniofacial genes underlying jaw divergence in specialist pupfishes

 M. Fernanda Palominos, Vanessa Muhl,  Christopher H. Martin

Catalytic-dependent and independent functions of the histone acetyltransferase CBP promote pioneer factor-mediated zygotic genome activation

 Audrey J. Marsh,  Sergei Pirogov, Abby J. Ruffridge, Suresh Sajwan, Tyler J. Gibson, George Hunt, Yadwinder Kaur,  Melissa M. Harrison,  Mattias Mannervik

Distinct proliferative and neuronal programmes of chromatin binding and gene activation by ASCL1 are cell cycle stage-specific

 William F Beckman, Lydia M Parkinson, Lewis Chaytor,  Anna Philpott

A piRNA regulating oogenesis and embryo development in cockroaches

 Judit Gonzalvo,  Nuria Farrus,  Jorge Escudero,  David Pujal,  Josep Bau,  Maria-Dolors Piulachs

Deciphering gene regulatory programs in mouse embryonic skin through single-cell multiomics analysis

Qiuting Deng, Pengfei Cai, Yingjie Luo, Zhongjin Zhang, Wen Ma, Zijie Huang, Xiaoya Chen, Shijie Hao, Weiguang Ma, Jiangshan Xu, Mengnan Cheng, Xiumei Lin, Ru Zhou, Shanshan Duan, Junjie Chen, Ronghai Li, Xuyang Shi, Chang Liu, Peng Gao, Jianting Li, Jun Xie, Longqi Liu, Yue Yuan, Chuanyu Liu

Optical Genome Mapping of the human reference iPSC line KOLF2.1J reveals new smaller structural variants in neurodevelopmental genes

 Madison James Yang,  Kamilla Sedov,  Max Y. Chen,  Faria Zafar,  Birgitt Schüle

Setdb1 regulates proper differentiation of adult intestinal stem cells via restraining permissive chromatin structure and transcriptional variability

Dimitris Botskaris, Ioannis K. Deligiannis, Ioanna Peraki, Haroula Kontaki, Marianna Stagaki, Matthieu D. Lavigne,  Celia P. Martinez-Jimenez,  Iannis Talianidis

Loss of Bicra/Gltscr1 leads to a defect in fetal liver macrophages responsible for erythrocyte maturation in mice

Surbhi Sood, Aktan Alpsoy, Guanming Jiao, Alisha Dhiman, Charles Samuel King, Gabriella Grace Conjelko, Judy E. Hallett, Sagar M Utturkar, Jill E Hutchcroft,  Emily C Dykhuizen

Rewired gene interactions during development of serially homologous appendages in male and female Drosophila

Amber M. Ridgway, Javier Figueras Jimenez, Maria D. S. Nunes,  Alistair P. McGregor

Contextualising transcription factor binding during embryogenesis using natural sequence variation

 Olga M. Sigalova,  Mattia Forneris,  Frosina Stojanovska,  Bingqing Zhao,  Rebecca R. Viales, Adam Rabinowitz, Fayrouz Hamal,  Benoît Ballester,  Judith B Zaugg,  Eileen E.M. Furlong

PWWP-ADD and N-terminal domains of DNMT3B1 confer specificity for developmentally regulated CpG island methylation

 Komal Yasmin,  Tatyana B Nesterova,  Neil Brockdorff

Drosophila Trus, the orthologue of mammalian PDCD2L, is required for proper cell proliferation, larval developmental timing, and oogenesis

Saeko Takada, Bonnie J. Bolkan, MaryJane O’Connor, Michael Goldberg,  Michael B. O’Connor

Single-nucleus transcriptional and chromatin accessibility analyses of maturing mouse Achilles tendon uncover the molecular landscape of tendon stem/progenitor cells

Hiroki Tsutsumi,  Tomoki Chiba, Yuta Fujii, Takahide Matsushima, Tsuyoshi Kimura, Akinori Kanai, Akio Kishida, Yutaka Suzuki,  Hiroshi Asahara

Foxn3 is part of a transcriptional network that regulates cilia genes in the developing mouse retina

 Huanqing Zhang,  Fan Meng,  David L. Turner

Spatiotemporal dynamics and selectivity of mRNA translation during mouse pre-implantation development

Hao Ming, Rajan Iyyappan, Kianoush Kakavand, Michal Dvoran, Andrej Susor,  Zongliang Jiang

| Stem cells, regeneration & disease modelling

Axolotl epigenetic clocks offer insights into the nature of negligible senescence

Yuliia Haluza,  Joseph A. Zoller, Ake T. Lu, Hannah E. Walters, Martina Lachnit, Robert Lowe, Amin Haghani, Robert T. Brooke, Naomi Park,  Maximina H. Yun,  Steve Horvath

Lgl resets Par complex membrane loading at mitotic exit to polarize neural stem cells

Bryce LaFoya, Sarah E. Welch,  Kenneth E. Prehoda

RO8191, a new compound for initiating embryo implantation in mice

Junlan Shu, Jumpei Terakawa, Satoko Osuka, Ayako Muraoka, Jiali Ruan, Junya Ito, Atsuo Iida,  Eiichi Hondo

Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells and Laminin dictate cholangiocytes’ fate in chronic liver disease

 Rita Manco, Camilla Moliterni, Gauthier Neirynck, Maxime De Rudder, Corinne Picalausa, Leana Ducor, Montserrat Fraga, Frédéric Lemaigre, Christine Sempoux, Alexandra Dili, Isabelle A. Leclercq

Branched actin polymerization drives invasive protrusion formation to promote myoblast fusion during skeletal muscle regeneration

Yue Lu, Tezin Walji, Pratima Pandey, Chuanli Zhou, Christa Whelan Habela, Scott Snapper, Rong Li,  Elizabeth Chen

The Xenopus respiratory system reveals common tetrapod mechanisms for growth, regeneration and healing

Shiri Kult Perry, Nikko-Ideen Shaidani,  Marko E Horb,  Neil Shubin

Injury-induced transcription in the planarian outer epithelium is critical for tissue regeneration

Pallob Barai, Mariya S. Kibtiya, Nathan G. Maggard, Shishir Biswas,  Elizabeth M. Duncan

Coordinate post-transcriptional regulation by microRNAs and RNA binding proteins is critical for early embryonic cell fate decisions

 Carolyn Sangokoya,  Robert Blelloch

Female-germline specific protein Sakura interacts with Otu and is crucial for germline stem cell renewal and differentiation and oogenesis

Azali Azlan, Li Zhu,  Ryuya Fukunaga

A post-mitotic in vitro murine as a model of muscle damage and repair

Angelo Galluccio, Samantha Maurotti, Francesca Rita Noto, Francesca Scionti, Carmelo Pujia, Elisa Mazza, Yvelise Ferro,  Rosario Mare, Nadia Geirola,  Bernadette Scopacasa,  Patrizio Candeloro,  Luca Tirinato, Angela Sciacqua, Arturo Pujia,  Stefano Romeo, Tiziana Montalcini

Loss of 18q alters TGFβ signalling affecting anteroposterior neuroectodermal fate in human embryonic stem cells

Yingnan Lei, Mai Chi Duong,  Nuša Krivec,  Charlotte Janssens,  Marius Regin,  Anfien Huyghebaert,  Edouard Couvreu de Deckersberg,  Karen Sermon, Diana Al Delbany,  Claudia Spits

Dissecting compounded hepatocyte injury in a model of MASLD progression from human induced pluripotent stem cells

Julian Weihs, Fatima Baldo, Alessandra Cardinali, Gehad Youssef, Katarzyna Ludwik, Harald Stachelscheid, Nils Haep, Peter Tang, Igor Sauer, Pavitra Kumar, Cornelius Engelmann, Susanna Quach, Philip Bufler, Namshik Han, Milad Rezvani

Nicotine enhances the stemness and tumorigenicity in intestinal stem cells via Hippo-YAP/TAZ and Notch signal pathway

Ryosuke Isotani,  Masaki Igarashi, Masaomi Miura, Kyoko Naruse, Satoshi Kuranami, Manami Katoh, Seitaro Nomura, Toshimasa Yamauchi

Fetal Liver-like Organoids Recapitulate Blood-Liver Niche Development and Multipotent Hematopoiesis from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Milad Rezvani, Kyle Lewis, Susanna Quach, Kentaro Iwasawa, Julian Weihs, Hasan Al Reza, Yuqi Cai, Masaki Kimura, RanRan Zhang, Yuka Milton, Praneet Chaturvedi, Konrad Thorner, Ramesh C. Nayak, Jorge Munera, Phillip Kramer, Brian R. Davis, Appakalai N. Balamurugan, Yeni Ait Ahmed, Marcel Finke, Rose Yinghan Behncke, Adrien Guillot, René Hägerling, Julia K. Polansky, Philip Bufler, Jose A Cancelas, James M. Wells, Momoko Yoshimoto,  Takanori Takebe

STAT3 signalling enhances tissue expansion during postimplantation mouse development

Takuya Azami, Bart Theeuwes, Mai-Linh N Ton, William Mansfield, Luke Harland, Masaki Kinoshita,  Berthold Gottgens,  Jennifer Nichols

Single-cell and in situ spatial analyses reveal the diversity of newly born hematopoietic stem cells and of their niches

 Léa Torcq, Catherine Vivier, Sandrine Schmutz,  Yann Loe-Mie,  Anne A. Schmidt

A limbal stem cell deficiency murine model with residual limbal stem cells

Hideaki Someya,  Shintaro Shirahama, Margarete M. Karg, Meredith S. Gregory-Ksander, Reza Dana,  Bruce R. Ksander

Functional differentiation of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells into neuron-like cells exhibiting electrophysiological activity

 B. Pardo-Rodríguez,  A.M. Baraibar,  I. Manero-Roig,  J. Luzuriaga,  J. Salvador-Moya,  Y. Polo,  R. Basanta-Torres,  F. Unda,  S. Mato,  G. Ibarretxe,  J.R. Pineda

Actomyosin Contractility is a Potent Suppressor of Mesoderm Induction by Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

 Loic Fort, Wenjun Wang,  Ian Macara

map3k1 suppresses terminal differentiation of migratory eye progenitors in planarian regeneration

 Katherine C. Lo,  Christian P. Petersen

Local control of cellular proliferation underlies neuromast regeneration in zebrafish

 Natalia G. Lavalle,  Jerónimo Miranda-Rodríguez,  Emanuel Cura Costa,  Augusto Borges,  Oriol Viader-Llargués, Hernán López-Schier,  Osvaldo Chara

Integrated local and systemic communication factors regulate nascent hematopoietic progenitor escape during developmental hematopoiesis

Carson Shalaby, James Garifallou,  Christopher S Thom

The PUF RNA-binding protein, FBF-2, maintains stem cells without binding to RNA

 Brian H. Carrick,  Sarah L. Crittenden,  MaryGrace Linsley,  Stephany J. Costa Dos Santos,  Marvin Wickens,  Judith Kimble

The E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Trip12 attenuates Wnt9a/Fzd9b signaling during hematopoietic stem cell development

Jessica Ensing, Amber D. Ide, Carla Gilliland, Visakuo Tsurho, Isabella Caza,  Amber N. Stratman, Nathan J. Lanning,  Stephanie Grainger

| Plant development

A molecular basis for plant SCAR/WAVE functional divergence

 Sabine Brumm,  Aleksandr Gavrin,  Matthew Macleod,  Guillaume Chesneau, Annika Usländer,  Sebastian Schornack

Proline-2’-deoxymugineic acid (PDMA) increases seed quality and yield by alleviating iron deficiency symptoms in soybean under calcareous-alkaline conditions

 Zahit Kaya,  Amir Maqbool,  Motofumi Suzuki,  Emre Aksoy

Stochastic Gene Expression in Auxin Signaling in the Floral Meristem of Arabidopsis thaliana

 Shuyao Kong,  Mingyuan Zhu,  Adrienne H.K. Roeder

NPF4.1 imports embryo-derived GA4 to the endosperm to promote seed germination

Mathilde Sirlin-Josserand, Lali Sakvarelidze-Achard, David Pflieger, Jean-Michel Davière,  Patrick Achard

Co-cultivating rice plants with Azolla filiculoides modifies root architecture and timing of developmental stages

Sara Cannavò,  Chiara Paleni,  Alma Costarelli,  Maria Cristina Valeri,  Martina Cerri,  Antonietta Saccomanno,  Veronica Gregis,  Graziella Chini Zittelli,  Petre I. Dobrev,  Lara Reale, Martin M. Kater,  Francesco Paolocci

The genetic basis of replicated bullseye pattern reduction across the Trionum Complex

 May T. S. Yeo, Alice L. M. Fairnie, Valentina Travaglia, Joseph F. Walker,  Lucie Riglet, Selin Zeyrek,  Edwige Moyroud

PRC2 facilitates the transition from heterotrophy to photoautotrophy during seedling emergence

 Naseem Samo,  María Guadalupe Trejo-Arellano,  Lenka Gahurová, Alexander Erban,  Alina Ebert,  Quentin Rivière,  Jiří Kubásek,  Fatemeh Aflaki,  Helena Hönig Mondeková,  Armin Schlereth,  Annick Dubois,  Mingxi Zhou,  Ondřej Novák,  Jiří Šantrůček,  Daniel Bouyer,  Franҫois Roudier,  Joachim Kopka,  Iva Mozgová

A brassinosteroid receptor kinase is required for sex determination in the homosporous fern Ceratopteris richardii

 Katelin M. Burow,  Xi Yang,  Yun Zhou,  Brian P. Dilkes,  Jennifer H. Wisecaver

ERECTA family signaling controls cell fate specification during ovule initiation in Arabidopsis

 Alex M. Overholt,  Christina Elaine Pierce, Calen Seth Paleologos,  Elena D. Shpak

Shaping Kale Morphology and Physiology Using Different LED Light Recipes

 Sabine Scandola,  Lauren E. Grubb,  Brigo Castillo,  Lexyn Iliscupidez,  Curtis Kennedy, Nicholas Boyce,  R. Glen Uhrig

Highly expressed cell wall genes contribute to robustness of sepal size

 Diego A. Hartasánchez,  Mathilde Dumond, Nelly Dubrulle,  Françoise Monéger,  Arezki Boudaoud

Differential gene expression analysis identifies a group of defensin like peptides from Solanum chacoense ovules with in vitro pollen tube attraction activity

Yang Liu, Valentin Joly, Mohamed Sabar, Daniel Philippe Matton, David Morse

| Environment, evolution and development

Like mother, like daughter? Phenotypic plasticity, environmental covariation, and heritability of size in a parthenogenetic wasp

Alicia Tovar, Scott Monahan, Trevor Mugoya, Adrian Kristan, Walker Welch, Ryan Dettmers, Camila Arce, Theresa Buck, Michele Ruben, Alexander Rothenberg, Roxane Saisho, Ryan Cartmill, Timothy Skaggs, Robert Reyes, MJ Lee, John Obrycki, William Kristan,  Arun Sethuraman

Methylomes reveal recent evolutionary changes in populations of two plant species

 Kevin Korfmann, Andreas Zauchner,  Aurélien Tellier,  Ramesh Arunkumar

Polar bodies serve as a landmark for anteroposterior axis formation in spiders

Ruixun Wang,  Matthias Pechmann

Evolutionary Insights into Muscle Fiber Distribution in the Twin Tails of Ornamental Goldfish

 Kinya G Ota,  Gembu Abe,  Chen-Yi Wang,  Ing-Jia Li,  Paul Gerald Layague Sanchez,  Tzu-Chin Chi

Maternal high-fat, high-sucrose diet-induced excess adiposity is linked to placental hypoxia and disruption of fetoplacental immune homeostasis in late gestation

 Christian J. Bellissimo, Tatiane A. Ribeiro, Erica Yeo, Patrycja A. Jazwiec, Howard Luo, Jaskiran Bains,  Deborah M. Sloboda

Cenozoic evolutionary history obscures the Mesozoic origins of acanthopterygian fishes

Chase D. Brownstein, Alex Dornburg, Thomas J. Near

Reconstructing the deep phylogeny of the MAPK signaling network: functional specialization via multi-tier coevolutionary expansion

 EJ Huang,  Jeeun Parksong,  Amy F. Peterson,  Fernando Torres,  Sergi Regot,  Gabriel S. Bever

Diversity and evolution of Radiolaria: Beyond the stars of the ocean

 Miguel M. Sandin,  Johan Renaudie, Noritoshi Suzuki,  Fabrice Not

Growth compensation upon changes in tissue size in the Drosophila abdomen

Ana Ferreira, Andrea Cairoli, Federica Mangione, Maxine V. Holder, Anna Ainslie, Birgit L. Aerne,  Guillaume Salbreux,  Nicolas Tapon

Evolution of the non-visual and visual opsin gene repertoire in ray-finned fishes

 Maxime Policarpo,  Lily G. Fogg,  Fabio Cortesi,  Walter Salzburger

The genetic diversity of the soybean rust pathogen Phakopsora pachyrhizi has been driven by two major evolutionary lineages

Vinicius Delgado da Rocha, Everton Geraldo Capote Ferreira, Fernanda Machado Castanho, Marcia Kamogae Kuwahara, Cláudia Vieira Godoy, Maurício Conrado Meyer, Kerry F. Pedley, Ralf T. Voegele, Anna Lipzen, Kerrie Barry, Igor V. Grigoriev, Marco Loehrer, Ulrich Schaffrath, Catherine Sirven,  Sebastien Duplessis,  Francismar Corrêa Marcelino-Guimarães

Phylogeny-aware simulations suggest a low impact of unsampled lineages in the inference of gene flow during eukaryogenesis

 Moisès Bernabeu,  Saioa Manzano-Morales,  Toni Gabaldón

Evolution of plant cell-type-specific cis-regulatory elements

Haidong Yan, John P. Mendieta, Xuan Zhang, Alexandre P. Marand, Yan Liang, Ziliang Luo, Mark A.A. Minow, Hosung Jang, Xiang Li, Thomas Roulé, Doris Wagner, Xiaoyu Tu, Yonghong Wang, Daiquan Jiang, Silin Zhong,  Linkai Huang, Susan R. Wessler,  Robert J. Schmitz

Germplasm stability in zebrafish requires maternal Tdrd6a and Tdrd6c

 Alessandro Consorte, Yasmin El Sherif,  Fridolin Kielisch,  Nadine Wittkopp,  René F. Ketting

Genetic variation in male mate choice for large females in Drosophila melanogaster

Grace S. Freed, Isabella G. Martinez, Avigayil Lev, Ana-Maria Anthony Cuadrado,  Alison Pischedda

Deep-sea fish reveal alternative pathway for vertebrate visual development

 Lily G. Fogg,  Stamatina Isari, Jonathan E. Barnes,  Jagdish Suresh Patel,  N. Justin Marshall,  Walter Salzburger,  Fabio Cortesi,  Fanny de Busserolles

Comparative analysis of rhesus macaque and human placental organoids highlights evolutionary differences in placentation

 Allyson Caldwell,  Liheng Yang,  Elizabeth A. Scheef,  Amitinder Kaur,  Carolyn B. Coyne

Experimental short-term heatwaves negatively impact body weight gain and survival during larval development in a wild pollinator

Laura Wögler,  Christoph Kurze

Male is the default sex: functional significance of the sex determination cascade in horned dung beetles

London C. Mitchell,  Armin P. Moczek,  Erica M. Nadolski

Identification of a specialized lipid barrier for Drosophila metamorphosis

 Lena Lampe,  Clare L. Newell, Bing-Jun Wang, Rami Makki, Cyrille Alexandre,  Ian S. Gilmore,  Li Zhao,  Alex P. Gould

Comparative single-cell analyses reveal evolutionary repurposing of a conserved gene program in bat wing development

Magdalena Schindler, Christian Feregrino, Silvia Aldrovandi, Bai-Wei Lo, Anna A. Monaco, Alessa R. Ringel, Ariadna Morales,  Tobias Zehnder, Rose Yinghan Behncke, Juliane Glaser, Alexander Barclay, Guillaume Andrey, Bjørt K. Kragesteen, René Hägerling, Stefan Haas, Martin Vingron,  Igor Ulitsky, Marc Marti-Renom,  Julio Hechavarria,  Nicolas Fasel, Michael Hiller, Darío Lupiáñez, Stefan Mundlos,  Francisca M. Real

Shaping tiny worlds: Paternal microbiota manipulation influences offspring microbial colonization and development in a sex role-reversed pipefish

 Kim-Sara Wagner, Frédéric Salasc, Silke-Mareike Marten,  Olivia Roth

Single Cell Sequencing Provides Clues about the Developmental Genetic Basis of Evolutionary Adaptations in Syngnathid Fishes

 Hope M. Healey,  Hayden B. Penn,  Clayton M. Small,  Susan Bassham,  Vithika Goyal,  Micah A. Woods,  William A. Cresko

Oxygen level alters energy metabolism in bovine preimplantation embryos

 N. Boskovic,  M. Ivask,  G. Yazgeldi Gunaydin,  B. Yaşar,  S. Katayama,  A. Salumets,  T. Org,  A. Kurg,  K. Lundin,  T. Tuuri,  C. O. Daub,  J. Kere

Hybrid incompatibility emerges at the one-cell stage in interspecies Caenorhabditis embryos

 Jessica Bloom,  Rebecca Green,  Arshad Desai,  Karen Oegema,  Scott A. Rifkin

Evolution of maternal and early zygotic transcript regulation across Drosophila

Charles S. Omura,  Susan E. Lott

Cellular and molecular mechanisms that shape the development and evolution of tail vertebral proportion in mice and jerboas

 Ceri J. Weber,  Alexander J. Weitzel, Alexander Y. Liu,  Erica G. Gacasan,  Robert L. Sah,  Kimberly L. Cooper

Planarians Develop Radiotolerance to Recurrent Ionizing Radiation Exposure

Paul G. Barghouth, Benjamin Ziman, Eli Isael Maciel, Peter Karabinis, Salvador Rojas, Natasha M. Flores, Edelweiss Pfister, Néstor J. Oviedo

Shifts in embryonic oxygen levels cue heterochrony in limb initiation

 Meng Zhu, Rinaldo Catta-Preta, ChangHee Lee, Clifford Tabin

Brassinosteroids and Flavonols Confer Temperature Stress Tolerance to Pollen Tube Germination and Growth

 Kumi Matsuura-Tokita, Ayaka Sakai,  Takamasa Suzuki,  Akihiko Nakano,  Tetsuya Higashiyama

Cell Biology

The multimodal transcriptional response of denervated skeletal muscle involves alterations in cholesterol homeostasis impacting muscle size

Cristofer Calvo, Casey O. Swoboda, Fabian Montecino Morales, Siddhant Nagar, Michael J. Petrany, Chengyi Sun, Hima Bindu Durumutla,  Mattia Quattrocelli,  Douglas P. Millay

The role of cytochrome c in mitochondrial metabolism of human oocytes

 Jakub Maciej Surmacki,  Halina Abramczyk, Bogna Sobkiewicz,  Renata Walczak-Jędrzejowska,  Jolanta Słowikowska-Hilczer,  Katarzyna Marchlewska

The molecular chronology of mammary epithelial cell fate switching

 Queralt Vallmajo-Martin,  Zhibo Ma, Sumana Srinivasan, Divya Murali, Christopher Dravis,  Kavitha Mukund, Shankar Subramaniam,  Geoffrey M. Wahl,  Nikki K. Lytle

Enhanced RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas technology in zebrafish

 Ismael Moreno-Sanchez, Luis Hernandez-Huertas, Daniel Nahon-Cano, Carlos Gomez-Marin, Pedro Manuel Martinez-García, Anthony J. Treichel, Laura Tomas-Gallardo, Gabriel da Silva Pescador, Gopal Kushawah, Alejandro Díaz-Moscoso, Alejandra Cano-Ruiz, John A. Walker II, Manuel J. Muñoz, Kevin Holden, Joan Galcerán, María Ángela Nieto, Ariel Bazzini,  Miguel A. Moreno-Mateos

Intra-manchette transport employs both microtubule and actin tracks

Jo H. Judernatz, Laura Pérez Pañeda, Tereza Kadavá,  Albert J. R. Heck,  Tzviya Zeev-Ben-Mordehai

Visualizing developmental dynamics of nuclear morphology and transport machinery in Drosophila

 Yuki Shindo, Shruthi Balachandra,  Amanda A. Amodeo

Mammary Epithelial Migration is EMT-Independent

Jing Chen, Rongze ma, Zhixuan Deng, Yunzhe Lu, Jiecan Zhou, Kun Xia, Ophir D. Klein, Pengfei Lu

An interkinetic envelope surrounds chromosomes between meiosis I and II in C. elegans oocytes

Layla El Mossadeq, Laura Bellutti, Rémi Le Borgne, Julie C. Canman,  Lionel Pintard, Jean-Marc Verbavatz,  Peter Askjaer, Julien Dumont

Depolymerizing F-actin accelerates the exit from pluripotency to enhance stem cell-derived islet differentiation

Nathaniel J. Hogrebe, Mason D. Schmidt, Punn Augsornworawat, Sarah E. Gale, Mira Shunkarova,  Jeffrey R. Millman

Autophagy is dispensable in germline stem cells but is required in the cap cells for their maintenance in the Drosophila ovarian niche

Kiran Suhas Nilangekar,  Bhupendra V. Shravage

Mitochondrial fission controls astrocyte morphogenesis and organization in the cortex

Maria Pia Rodriguez Salazar, Sprihaa Kolanukuduru, Valentina Ramirez, Boyu Lyu, Gabrielle Sejourne, Hiromi Sesaki, Guoqiang Yu,  Cagla Eroglu

Impaired erythroid maturation in murine embryos upon loss of the preeclampsia-associated serine protease prostasin

 Sara Di Carlo, Adrian Salas-Bastos, Mariela Castelblanco Castelblanco, Muriel Auberson, Marie Rumpler, Malaury Tournier, Lukas Sommer, Olaia Naveiras, Edith Hummler

Membrane oscillations driven by Arp2/3 constrict the intercellular bridge during neural stem cell divisions

Bryce LaFoya,  Kenneth E. Prehoda

eIF4ET regulates meiotic proteome levels to enable oocyte formation and storage

Priyankaa Bhatia, Ruchi Amin, Nicole E. Familiari, Kan Yaguchi, Vanna M. Tran, Alec Bond, Orhan Bukulmez, Jeffrey B. Woodruff

Human spermatogenesis leads to a reduced nuclear pore structure and function

Ália dos Santos, Oliver Knowles, Tom Dendooven, Thomas Hale, Alister Burt, Piotr Kolata, Giuseppe Cannone, Dom Bellini,  David Barford, Matteo Allegretti

Modelling

Uniaxial force modifies the length of the mammary ductal network and the orientation of ducts during pubertal development: Findings from computational modeling and laboratory experiments

Daisy Ulloa, Kelsey M. Temple,  Theresa M. Casey, Uduak Z George

Quantitative Resolving Cell Fate in the Early Embryogenesis of Caenorhabditis elegans

 Ruiqi Xiong, Yang Su,  Mengchao Yao, Zefei Liu, Jie Lu, Yong-Cong Chen, Ping Ao

Inner ear morphology in wild versus laboratory house micev

Sabrina Renaud, Léa Amar, Pascale Chevret, Caroline Romestaing, Jean-Pierre Quéré, Corinne Régis, Renaud Lebrun

Optimal network sizes for most robust Turing patterns

Hazlam S. Ahmad Shaberi, Aibek Kappassov, Antonio Matas-Gil, Robert G. Endres

Parsing altered brain connectivity in neurodevelopmental disorders by integrating graph-based normative modeling and deep generative networks

Rui Sherry Shen, Yusuf Osmanlıoğlu, Drew Parker, Darien Aunapu, Benjamin E. Yerys, Birkan Tunç, Ragini Verma

Optimizing Non-Intersecting Synthetic Vascular Trees in Nonconvex Organs

Etienne Jessen, Marc C. Steinbach, Dominik Schillinger

Tools & Resources

Unbiased identification of cell identity in dense mixed neural cultures

 Sarah De Beuckeleer, Tim Van De Looverbosch, Johanna Van Den Daele, Peter Ponsaerts,  Winnok H. De Vos

A MOUSE ORGANOID PLATFORM FOR MODELING CEREBRAL CORTEX DEVELOPMENT AND CIS-REGULATORY EVOLUTION IN VITRO

 Daniel Medina-Cano, Mohammed T. Islam, Veronika Petrova, Sanjana Dixit, Zerina Balic, Marty G. Yang, Matthias Stadtfeld,  Emily S. Wong,  Thomas Vierbuchen

A stable Netrin-1 fluorescent reporter chicken reveals cell-specific molecular signatures during optic fissure closure

Brian Ho Ching Chan,  Holly Hardy,  Teresa Requena, Amy Findlay,  Jason Ioannidis, Dominique Meunier,  Maria Toms,  Mariya Moosajee, Anna Raper,  Mike McGrew,  Joe Rainger

A minimally guided organoid model for cross-species comparisons of cerebellar development

 Luca Guglielmi, Daniel Lloyd-Davies-Sánchez,  José González Martínez,  Madeline A. Lancaster

CellStudio: a Modular, Tunable and Accessible Platform for Analysis of Growth Factors Secretions in Cell Cultures

 Enrique Azuaje-Hualde,  Naiara Lartitegui-Meneses,  Juncal Alonso-Cabrera,  Asier Inchaurraga-Llamas,  Yara Alvarez-Braña,  Marian Martínez de Pancorbo,  Fernando Benito-Lopez,  Lourdes Basabe-Desmonts

A Combined Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling and Geometric Morphometrics Methods Approach to Quantifying Hemodynamic and Anatomical Features of Embryonic Chick Heart Anatomies Reconstructed from Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging

 Kirsten Giesbrecht, Simone Rossi, Sophie Liu, Shourya Mukherjee,  Michael Bressan,  Boyce Griffith

CellMet: Extracting 3D shape metrics from cells and tissues

 Sophie Theis,  Mario A Mendieta-Serrano,  Bernardo Chapa-y-Lazo, Juliet Chen,  Timothy E Saunders

CRISPR/Cas9-based somatic knock-in of reporters in the avian embryo in ovo

Alciades Petit Vargas, Baptiste Mida, Rosette Goïame, Olinda Alegria-Prevot, Bojana Djelic,  Evelyne Fischer,  Samuel Tozer,  Jérôme Gros,  Marie Manceau,  Xavier Morin

From Selfies to Science – Precise 3D Leaf Measurement with iPhone 13 and Its Implications for Plant Development and Transpiration

 Gabriel Bar-Sella,  Matan Gavish,  Menachem Moshelion

Zebrahub-Multiome: Uncovering Gene Regulatory Network Dynamics During Zebrafish Embryogenesis

 Yang Joon Kim,  Shruthi Vijay Kumar,  Benjamin Iovino,  Alejandro Granados,  Sarah Ancheta,  Xiang Zhao,  Kyle Awayan, Amanda Seng,  Michael Borja,  Sheryl Paul,  Honey Mekonen, Ritwicq Arjyal,  Angela Detweiler,  Yasin Şenbabaoğlu,  Rafael Gómez-Sjöberg,  Norma Neff,  Merlin Lange,  Loïc A. Royer

inTRACKtive — A Web-Based Tool for Interactive Cell Tracking Visualization

 Teun A.P.M. Huijben,  Ashley G. Anderson III,  Andrew Sweet, Erin Hoops, Connor Larsen,  Kyle Awayan,  Jordão Bragantini, Chi-Li Chiu,  Loïc A. Royer

Enrichment of spermatogonial stem cells and staging of the testis cycle in a dasyurid marsupial, the fat-tailed dunnart

 Gerard A. Tarulli, Patrick R.S. Tatt, Rhys Howlett, Sara Ord, Beth Shapiro, Stephen R. Frankenberg,  Andrew J. Pask

Defining Cellular Diversity at the Swine Maternal-Fetal Interface Using Spatial Transcriptomics and Organoids

 Cole R. McCutcheon,  Allyson Caldwell,  Liheng (Henry) Yang,  Elisa Crisci,  J. Alex Pasternak,  Carolyn B. Coyne

Generation of human iPSC-derived pancreatic organoids to study pancreas development and disease

Jean-Francois Darrigrand, Abigail Isaacson,  Francesca M. Spagnoli

Spatiotemporal map of the developing human reproductive tract at single-cell resolution

 Valentina Lorenzi, Cecilia Icoresi Mazzeo, Nadav Yayon, Elias R. Ruiz-Morales, Carmen Sancho-Serra, Frederick C.K. Wong, Magda Marečková, Liz Tuck, Kenny Roberts, Tong Li, Marc-Antoine Jacques, Xiaoling He, Roger Barker, Berta Crespo, Batuhan Cakir, Simon Murray, Martin Prete, Yong Gu, Iva Kelava,  Luz Garcia Alonso,  John C Marioni,  Roser Vento Tormo

Research practice & education

Distinct patterns of bioscience doctoral publication disparities by gender and race/ethnicity

Katie Leap, Gregory S. Payne, Janet S. Sinsheimer,  Diana E. Azurdia

Features and signals in precocious citation impact: a meta-research study

 John P.A. Ioannidis

Equity in Action: A Four-Year journey towards Gender Parity and Racial Diversity in Biochemistry Hiring

 Sherri L. Christian,  Valerie Booth,  Scott Harding,  Amy M. Todd,  Mark D. Berry

LeDNA: a cut-and-build toolkit to democratize education on CRISPR gene editing technology

 Guilherme E. Kundlatsch,  Alina S. L. Rodrigues,  Vitória F. B. Zocca,  Laura A. S. Amorim,  Gabriela B. de Paiva,  Almiro P. S. Neto,  Juliana A. D. B. Campos,  Danielle B. Pedrolli

Artificial Intelligence’s Contribution to Biomedical Literature Search: Revolutionizing or Complicating?

 Rui Yip, Young Joo Sun, Alexander G. Bassuk, Vinit B. Mahajan

Quantifying Data Distortion in Bar Graphs in Biological Research

 Teng-Jui Lin,  Markita P. Landry

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The 30 October 2024 Development presents… webinar was chaired by Development’s Executive Editor, Katherine Brown and featured three talks on the topic of the development of ectoderm derivatives. Catch up on the talks below.

Eirini Maniou (University of Padua)

Daniel Aldea (Aix-Marseille University)

Casey Griffin (New York University)

(2 votes)
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During my time as a summer student at the Francis Crick Institute, I had the privilege of working in the Developmental Signalling Laboratory of Dr Caroline Hill. Under the mentorship of Dr Berta Font Cunill, I have gained an insight into the realities of cutting-edge scientific research and was able to contribute to experiments advancing the understanding of developmental biology.

Throughout embryonic development, as cells divide, they begin to specialise to later form diverse functional tissues. This is possible because, even though progenitor cells contain copies of the same genetic code, they express different sets of genes. These gene expression patterns are governed by various complex signalling pathways, which ultimately determine cell fate. The Hill Lab is interested in understanding how cells use specific signals to communicate with each other and their environment to drive the development of an organism and tissue specialisation. During gastrulation, this cellular communication results in the embryonic stem cells transforming into three distinct germ layers: endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. As their subsequent patterning generates all future body structures, this process sets the stage for the functioning of the entire organism (Richardson et al., 2023).

In my research project, I was specifically interested in the mechanism of cell differentiation into definitive endoderm. This germ layer gives rise to the lungs, bladder, the majority of the digestive tract, as well as vital endocrine organs like the pancreas and thyroid (Fang & Li, 2022). Understanding the signalling pathways involved in endoderm differentiation is necessary to generate novel therapeutic solutions to diseases associated with endoderm-derived tissues, such as diabetes. This is possible by using human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to generate endodermal cells, and possibly their derivatives, in vitro (Fang & Li, 2022).

To study the differentiation to endoderm, I cultured iPSCs for four days in differentiation media with addition of CHIR-99021 (5 µM) for 24h, and Activin A (20 ng/mL) for 72h, following a standard protocol (Fig. 1a). Based on previous publications (Diekmann and Naujok, 2015), I expected that throughout this process, cells would follow certain patterns of gene expression (Fig. 1b). After 72h of differentiation (Day 4), I fixed and stained the cells with antibodies recognising key markers of pluripotency (Oct4) and endoderm (Sox17). I imaged the cells (Fig. 1c), quantified the results and was able to establish that the protocol of interest results in about 80% of stem cells differentiating to endoderm cells (Fig. 1d), confirming what has been observed in published articles.

Having established the standard differentiation protocol, I wanted to understand the process itself in more detail. I set out to investigate the gene expression patterns throughout the transition of cells from pluripotency to endoderm. I collected cell samples on each day of the protocol. After extracting RNA, I synthesised cDNA to be used in quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis. qPCR allows for the amplification of target DNA sequences, with simultaneous quantification of their concentration throughout the process. Thus, I was able to obtain and visualise the levels of expression of endoderm differentiation marker genes on each day of the protocol (Fig. 2). I was able to prove that cells transitioning from pluripotency to endoderm follow predicted patterns of gene expression (Fig. 1b). Pluripotency genes (POU5F1, SOX2) gradually decline as the differentiation continues (Fig. 2a), while endoderm markers (SOX17, GSC) are expressed more substantially towards the end of the process (Fig. 2c). I was also able to confirm that the cells go through an intermediate stage, with mesendoderm genes (TBXT, MIXL1) being expressed transiently on Day 2 (Fig. 2b).

To better understand the signalling pathways involved in the process of cell differentiation to endoderm, Dr Berta Font Cunill screened a library of over 1,000 small molecules of diverse molecular structure that could possibly affect the process by interacting with proteins important for endoderm differentiation. She identified one small molecule (compound “953”) that increases the differentiation efficiency to endoderm (from 80 to 90% approximately).

As I previously mentioned, after following the standard protocol the rate of differentiation to endoderm cells reaches about 80% (Fig. 1d). This high efficiency leaves a small margin for improvement. My goal was to modify the standard differentiation protocol to achieve a lower differentiation efficiency, and therefore increase the margin for improvement upon addition of compound “953”. I seeded pluripotent cells in media with varying concentrations of CHIR-99021 and Activin A (Fig. 3) and carried out the differentiation protocol for three days. I observed that even when the amount of Activin A was lowered from 20 ng/mL to 4 ng/mL, the differentiation proceeded only with minor changes in efficiency (Fig. 3a). However, lowering the amount of CHIR-99021 in just 1 µM increments hindered the process considerably (Fig. 3b). When CHIR-99021 was not present at all, most cells didn’t survive. These results show that CHIR-99021 is vital for endoderm differentiation.

Based on the obtained results, I decided that the best condition to test the effect of compound “953” was 20 ng/mL of Activin A (48h), and 3 µM of CHIR-99021 (24h), which resulted in around 50% of differentiation efficiency, leaving a large margin for improvement. I cultured the cells for three days using these new conditions and different concentrations of compound “953”, after which I stained for Oct4 and Sox17 (Fig. 4). I observed that cells grown with 10 µM of compound “953” in the media, reached 10-15% higher differentiation efficiency than those grown without the compound (Fig. 4a). However, the final total number of cells was lower than in control groups (Fig. 4b). These results suggest that while molecule “953” pushes differentiation from pluripotency into endoderm cells, it is also possibly mildly toxic or hinders cell proliferation. The results also suggest that even if differentiation is hindered, compound “953” is not able to increase the differentiation efficiency beyond 10-15%.

The future of this project will focus on identifying the protein impacted by compound “953” through extensive proteomic analysis. This will allow for a better understanding of the signalling pathways involved in cell differentiation to definitive endoderm, which is a necessary step for the successful differentiation of downstream endoderm-derived tissues and organs to develop novel solutions in regenerative medicine. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such inspiring scientific advancements. It has been an honour to be supported by the Rosa Beddington Fund. This experience has been a defining moment for my academic and professional development, and I have made the decision to pursue similar research through a PhD studentship and the rest of my scientific career. I would like to thank the Hill Lab, where I had the pleasure of working with incredible scientists, for their support and for welcoming me as a valued team member. I am especially grateful for the guidance and expertise of my supervisor, Dr Berta Font Cunill.

SOURCES

Diekmann, U., Naujok, O. (2015). Generation and Purification of Definitive Endoderm Cells Generated from Pluripotent Stem Cells. Methods in Molecular Biology, 1341, 157-72. https://doi.org/10.1007/7651_2015_220 

Fang, Y., Li, X. (2022). Metabolic and epigenetic regulation of endoderm differentiation. Trends in Cell Biology, 32(2), 151-164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tcb.2021.09.002 

Richardson, L., Wilcockson, S.G., Guglielmi, L. et al. (2023). Context-dependent TGFβ family signalling in cell fate regulation. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, 24, 876–894. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41580-023-00638-3 

Silva, I.B.B., Kimura, C.H., Colantoni, V.P. et al. (2022). Stem cells differentiation into insulin-producing cells: recent advances and current challenges. Stem Cell Research & Therapy, 13, 309. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13287-022-02977-y 

Zhao, M., Tang, Y., Zhou, Y. et al. (2019). Deciphering Role of Wnt Signalling in Cardiac Mesoderm and Cardiomyocyte Differentiation from Human iPSCs: Four-dimensional control of Wnt pathway for hiPSC-CMs differentiation. Nature Scientific Reports, 9, 19389. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-55620-x

(10 votes)
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[This post is co-written by Joan-Josep Soto Angel and Pawel Burkhardt.]

What is this?

The video depicts the process of reverse development in the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi over several weeks. Adult and larval M. leidyi are anatomically different: lobate adults have lobes and auricles that are not yet developed in the larval stage. Cydippid larvae have a rounded body and tentacles that get reabsorbed during the lobate adult stage. The timelapse video shows an adult comb jelly slowly transitioning to a larval form over time, with lobes and auricles disappearing, and tentacles being regained. This is a process called reverse development.

Where can this be found?

This footage was obtained in our Ctenophore Facility at the University of Bergen, under controlled laboratory conditions, and following the same individual over time. Whether or not these comb jellies are equally capable of doing this in the ocean still remains a mystery, but the potential is definitely there!

Read more about our Ctenophore Facility at Michael Sars Centre here: https://www.uib.no/en/michaelsarscentre/122963/ctenophora-facility

How was this taken?

The timelapse is made out of 24 individual pictures, each taken every 2-3 days, and shows the animal in the same position for comparison purposes. We used a Canon 5D Mark IV coupled to a Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x Macro Photo, usually known as an extreme macro lens. As the animals are very transparent, and the details are difficult to observe, we used a black background and added an extra light source from the side using a Canon speedlite strobe.

What causes M. leidyi to reverse develop?

Reverse development in M. leidyi is triggered by improved environmental conditions after a period of stress. Stress was simulated by either removing the lobes (lobectomy) or by prolonged starvation. Mnemiopsis leidyi is able to efficiently regenerate any missing body part, as well as shrinking considerably when starved. However, when adequately fed after shrinking to a size of just a few millimetres, instead of growing back the lobes, they grew tentacles typical of the larval stage.

Why should people care about this?

So far, reverse development was thought to be restricted to a few cnidarian species and one cestode. Our study is the first to report the occurrence of this peculiar feature in ctenophores, suggesting that reverse development may be more widespread than previously thought. The occurrence of reverse development in a lineage that originated prior to cnidarians can help to better understand central aspects of life cycle plasticity and evolution in early animals. The ability to rejuvenate in harsh conditions also provides further research opportunities for ecological studies aiming to explain, among others, the high invasive success of this comb jelly. Our study highlights Mnemiopsis leidyi as a potential model species to study life cycle plasticity, aging and rejuvenation.

How would you explain this to an 8-year-old?

Aging is a one-way route for a great majority of animals. However, there are a few that seem to be able to escape the fate of getting old. An adult transforming into a baby was only known for a species of jellyfish, usually called the immortal jellyfish (its scientific name is Turritopsis dorhnii). We found this capacity in an entirely new group of animals: the comb jellies. When Mnemiopsis leidyi (also known by its common name as sea walnut) becomes an adult, it grows two lobes and four pointy finger-like structures called auricles that they use for feeding. Baby sea walnuts do not have these body parts. Instead, they use two long tentacles to trap their prey and direct it to the mouth. The tentacles are lost once these animals reach their final adult form. We discovered that adult sea walnuts can rejuvenate when they eat properly after going through a period of stress.

Where can people find more about it?

You can find more information about our finding in the link here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2411499121

(1 votes)
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Where is the lab?

Joe: We are located at the Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore. 

Lab website: https://www.mbi.nus.edu.sg/chii-jou-chan/chii-jou-chan-lab/

Research summary

Joe: Our lab aims to understand how developmental mechanics regulates mammalian folliculogenesis and ovarian dynamics. We focus on three overarching themes: First, how mechanical signals such as tissue pressure and hydraulics impact folliculogenesis and oocyte growth. Second, how the mechanical environment around the follicles influence collective dynamics of follicles and ovarian functions. Third, we are interested to understand how changes in tissue mechanics and misregulated mechano-signaling impacts follicle functions and ovulation during ageing and infertility. To address these questions, we develop multidisciplinary approaches based on novel (bio)mechanics, (bio)photonics and (bio)physical tools, using ex vivo assays.

Can you give us a lab roll call?

Arikta Biswas: I am a postdoctoral research fellow: I study how mechanical interactions are generated, controlled, and transmitted within ovarian follicles at the secondary stage of development using mice as model systems.

Kim Whye Leong: I’m a postdoctoral fellow investigating the process of antrum formation and how its mechanochemical functions shape ovarian follicle development. Using advanced 3D microscopy (my favorite technique) and cutting-edge tools for force measurement and manipulation, I’m exploring the forces and dynamics that drive this crucial stage of development. 

Jake Turley: I am a postdoc in the lab and I work on the biophysics of ovulation combining advanced microscopy, biomechanical tools and machine learning.

Huan Ting Ong: I am a Postdoctoral Research Fellow co-advised by Jennifer Young and Joe, studying mechanoregulation during ovarian ageing driven by the extracellular matrix and stroma.

Boon Heng Ng: A fourth-year student, trying to study how ovarian theca cells could sense mechanical cues and contribute to ovarian follicle development.

Kosei Tomida: I am a second year PhD student in the lab and I am studying follicle-follicle interactions through mechanochemical feedback interactions.

Kelly Tan: I am an incoming first-year graduate student, hoping to investigate a cool question on how the somatic (granulosa) cells contribute mechanically to follicle growth, apart from its classical signalling pathways. 

Apoorva Shivankar: I am a Research Assistant in the Chan Lab group. In addition to my administrative duties, I have the opportunity to engage in research. I’m currently investigating the functional and mechanical differences between the immune cells in young and aged ovaries.

Le Mai Tan Dat (Daniel): I’m an undergraduate student doing a semester-long research project, mentored by Jake. We are studying the biophysics of ovulation, applying machine learning to quantify tissue dynamics.

Favourite technique, and why?

Joe: I adore any new biophysical tools that allow us to gain new insights into tissue mechanobiology. One of my favourite tools is micropressure probe, which allows us to measure and manipulate fluid or cytoplasmic pressure in cells and tissues. I am excited to expands its use to study hydraulic control in development, physiology, disease and ageing.

Apart from your own research, what are you most excited about in developmental and stem cell biology?

Joe: I am a firm believer that new technology often leads to new discoveries, so any biophysical approaches to probe mechanics in living tissues excite me! I also think the application of machine learning approach will not only help us gain quantitative understanding of tissue dynamics during development, it also harbours great potential to uncover new physics regulating biological processes. I am particularly excited about ongoing work to apply these approaches to address ageing and diseases.

How do you approach managing your group and all the different tasks required in your job?

Joe: As an assistant professor, it can indeed be daunting to handle multiple tasks like teaching, research and administrative duties. I hold regular group and 1-1 meetings with lab members to stay connected with their projects and give timely feedback. Given the highly interdisciplinary nature of our research, I do my best to foster exchange amongst lab members, often teaming them up in joint projects, while maintaining autonomy in their own projects. Recently I realised that too many back-to-back meetings can negatively impact the quality of meetings, and moving on I might try to cut down non-essential meetings. I also work on annual individual development plans with my team, which is a great platform to provide mutual feedback. This also helps to keep track of what’s going on at the ground and calibrate my management style. I recently shared this in more detail in a People & Ideas article in Journal of Cell Biology.

Something I wish to do, but haven’t got a chance to, is to hold an annual lab retreat or a joint retreat with other labs – those are great opportunities to share blue-sky research ideas and learn from each other!

What is the best thing about where you work? 

Joe: I am super grateful to have a family-like lab-mosphere! The various core facilities and admin team at MBI are doing an amazing job in supporting the research. Being at Singapore is unique in the sense that we can serve as a focal point in Asia pacific for scientific exchange and collaborations with people from Japan, China, Hong Kong and Australia.

Arikta: It is not often that researchers have dedicated core facilities who work tirelessly and silently ‘behind-the-scenes’ to make our science go smoother, but it is the case here and I am very appreciative of their strong yet quiet efforts. Also, I thoroughly enjoy the freedom to think and brainstorm ideas with my lab-mates without hesitation. 

Jake: My labmates are very supportive and generous with their time and help. This allowed me to quickly settle in and it also makes working in the lab a more enjoyable experience.

Kim Whye: The best thing about where I work is the collaborative atmosphere. Everyone, from researchers to staff, is incredibly supportive, and it fosters a real sense of teamwork. We also have a lot of microscopes and cutting-edge biophysical tools! It’s exciting to work in a place where you’re empowered to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Huan Ting: The multidisciplinary environment the institute has, which encourages collaborations and cross-fertilisation of new ideas!

Boon Heng: Everyone is very supportive and collaborative with the different projects! If we are unsure about anything, we never hesitate to consult anyone in the lab. We also try to have lunch together every day, like a ‘family’ daily lunch?

Kosei: I appreciate the availability of resources in core facilities, items, and people from different backgrounds. I was lucky to have been blessed with a wonderful mentor.

Kelly: I really like how the lab fosters a welcoming environment for anyone to ask all sorts of questions, and to suggest unconventional (crazy) ideas. Everyone is more-than-merely-willing to help one another, and there has been no shortage of encouragement (and laughter) to enjoy pursuing great science even amidst the most stressful and busiest of days.

Apoorva: To me the four cornerstones of our lab are the 1) freedom to explore topics, 2) supportive and friendly atmosphere, 3) access to cutting-edge techniques, and 4) guidance from supportive colleagues.

Daniel: I enjoy the conversations that spontaneously arise, especially in the weekly lab meeting. Sometimes, we just share about our projects and scientific discussions will follow. Everyone is very experienced and receptive to comments and opinions, making it a great opportunity for me to learn more about the sciences.

What’s there to do outside of the lab?

Joe: I enjoy hiking and exploring the beautiful nature reserves across the island with my family. After sending kid to school in the early morning, I cherish the quiet moments where I get to hang out at the coffee shop in the hawker center to do some personal reading. Watching sci-fi movies (even better, combined with horror elements like Alien series), is also one of my favourite hobbies.

Arikta: I love reading outside of work, mostly fiction though, and spend an incredibly large amount of my free time at the Kinokuniya bookstore.  When I am not strolling through the aisles of books, I am usually watching any Southeast Asian content on the internet; and then messaging my lab members to bug them about the accuracy of the cultures being represented onscreen.

Jake: I mainly enjoy eating out at the massive variety of food places available in Singapore and watching live gigs.

Kim Whye: When I’m not deep in follicle research, I enjoy reading up on bottom-up approaches in synthetic developmental biology and staying on top of the latest biotech innovations. Singapore may not be renowned for its pub culture (though we do indulge occasionally), but what we lack in that area, we more than make up for with our incredible food scene. There’s always something new and delicious waiting to be discovered.

Huan Ting: Despite the hot and humid weather, Singapore has plenty of natural trails featuring the flora and fauna unique to the tropical regions, just around the neighbourhood. Coming from Australia, one of my favourite things to do outside the lab is to explore these hiking trails with my family.

Boon Heng: While Singapore might lack nature reserves, there are still nice hiking trails and various outdoor activities. Maybe just a little bit hot and humid. As a Singaporean, I like to explore interesting food places from different races/cultures. You can’t go wrong with nice food!

Kosei: Swimming became my routine in Singapore. I often go swimming outside throughout the year because it’s warm and sunny every day, making you feel refreshed!

Kelly: I like to stay at home… but otherwise, targeting the stereotyped marathon-running scientist, there are many scenic running routes at every corner of Singapore, so you can get your daily dose of running endorphins easily. 

Apoorva: Outside of the lab, I enjoy exploring the beautiful spots in the city, such as Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, Sentosa and Singapore Botanic Gardens. I also love to check out the charming small islands surrounding Singapore.

Daniel: I enjoy reading books, especially classic novels and biographies. I enjoy the stories that are to unfold on each page of the books, with a plethora of emotions attached to each story. Books allow me to appreciate life in another form. “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi is one of my favourites.

(1 votes)
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This special edition of Development presents… features the four prize winners from the 2024 BSDB Spring meeting. Hosted by BSDB Chair, Marysia Placzek (University of Sheffield).

Wednesday 20 November – 15:00 GMT

At the speakers’ discretion, the webinar will be recorded for viewing on demand. To see the other webinars scheduled in our series, and to catch up on previous talks, please visit: thenode.biologists.com/devpres

(3 votes)
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This post is co-written by Christopher Thomas and Tabea Marx.

What is this?

This video shows ovulation live!  Watch as an egg is released from an isolated ovarian follicle from a mouse. Our latest research uses live microscopy to visualise this fascinating event at the start of life.

Where can this be found?

Ovulation takes place in the ovaries, the female reproductive organs responsible for growing and releasing eggs. The eggs are stored inside fluid-filled sacs called follicles. To make the process visible, we cultured these follicles outside of the ovaries and induced ovulation ex vivo.

How was this taken?

This video was captured using a Zeiss LSM-800 confocal microscope. While working together in the Schuh lab, we developed an imaging setup that allowed us to observe ovulation in real time using isolated follicles from transgenic mice expressing fluorescent markers for histones (H2B-EGFP) and cell membranes (Myristoylated tdTomato). We also injected dextran into the follicular antrum, an extracellular space surrounding the egg, to label the follicular fluid.

What does the follicle do during ovulation?

The follicle goes through three phases during ovulation: it expands, contracts, and then ruptures, releasing the egg for fertilisation. In our paper, we show that expansion is mediated by fluid influx into the follicle, driven by hyaluronic acid secretion, while contraction is controlled by smooth muscle cells in the outer layers of the follicle.

Why should people care about this?

Ovulation is at the heart of reproduction. Understanding this fundamental process better could help treat infertility caused by disorders that cause ovulation to fail, such as PCOS (Polycystic ovary syndrome).

How would you explain this to an 8-year-old?

This video shows how a tiny egg moves from inside to outside of the ovary, a part of the body that helps make babies. The egg’s home in the ovary, called the follicle, bursts like a balloon to release it. Scientists really wanted to see how this happens, so they took some of these tiny bubbles and put them under a special camera that can see very tiny things. Once outside, if the egg meets a sperm, they can join together to make a baby.

Where can people find more about it?

Want to know more about how we filmed this amazing process? Check out our paper in Nature Cell Biology to learn all the details! You can find it here:  

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41556-024-01524-6  

(3 votes)
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Can you briefly introduce your lab?

My name is Raj Ladher at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) in Bangalore, India. I am interested in how developmental programmes subvert cellular processes to shape and specialise tissues, and we use the inner ear as our model system. We look at the inner ear from induction (what the signals are, what changes does induction elicit), differentiation (how sensory precursors are picked out) and morphogenesis of the cochlea and vestibular systems, and of the individual hair cells.

Lab website: https://www.otography.in/

Can you give us a lab roll call?

Raj: I have a lab of the most amazing students – they’re listed from oldest to newest here.

Nishant is looking at hair cell regeneration in the chick cochlea.

Varsha is investigating epithelial fusion during the closure of the otic vesicle.

Surjit is looking at how the birth order of neuroblasts affects where they end up in the inner ear ganglion.

Anubhav is investigating the morphogenesis of the cochlea and how planar polarity is generated.

Raman is working on non-canonical functions of protocadherin-15 in polarity generation.

Mona is working on the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in development.

Sukanya is looking at the downstream roles of Sox2 in the cochlea.

Neelanjana is looking at the signalling pathways involved for sensory fate specification.

Fenil is interested in understanding the molecular processes by which stereocilia acquire their shape.

Rridhi is looking at how inner ear progenitors acquire polarity.

Palak is investigating sensory cell differentiation.

Shivangi investigates how the otic placode thickens and what that means for lineage commitment.

We also have some interns who join our lab to do, for example, their Masters dissertation with us. Sardha, from IISER Mohali, is currently completing her MSc project on actin polymerisation in hair cells with us.

Favourite technique, and why?

Raj: I did my PhD on Xenopus mesoderm induction (with Jim Smith), and “grew up” doing the original organoid experiment – animal caps. Those kinds of classic embryological-type experiments have lots of mileage. I like heterotopic grafts (grafting pieces of tissue from one region of the embryo to another) and love quail-chick chimaeras.

Apart from your own research, what are you most excited about in developmental and stem cell biology?

Raj: Shape interests me, particularly of the face. I am interested in how natural variation tweaks mechanisms that would result in different morphologies of the face.

How do you approach managing your group and all the different tasks required in your job?

Raj: Labs in India run on students, and I have been amazingly fortunate with the students I have. They are amazing – creative, ambitious and fearless.  Managing really means making sure that I am accessible or that I can point them to experts who can help them. We have regular lab meetings, and my office is in the lab, and my door is always open. It is also important to ensure they can attend conferences, workshops and courses that help them become better scientists. We have many interns from other institutes come through, giving the lab a chance to be mentors themselves. This holds enormous value, and my lab members are better researchers because of it. 

What is the best thing about where you work?

Raj: I have great colleagues doing this fabulous range of topics, so it broadens my horizons about biology. We have 7 cafes on campus, and many places to sit and chat. The campus is gorgeous.

Varsha: The exposure to science at different scales, the facilities that we have access to use and the community.

Anubhav: The place thrives on the support of interdisciplinary exchange of ideas. These discussions over coffee give a fresh perspective on work as well as the outside world.

Raman: The chance to meet people from different culture and discussing the food interests with them and in the meantime science as well.

Neelanjana: The opportunity to discuss our work in progress with the community and the scope of collaborations between various labs on campus is one of the best things about this campus.

Fenil: Clean air, green cover, a bustling cafeteria.

Rridhi: The exposure to different kinds of aspects of biology and how any student can discuss science with anyone on campus.

Palak: The exposure and freedom to explore new projects. Although, it does have its ups and downs. However, the satisfaction of starting something new, making progress, and learning and evolving along the way is incomparable. Over the past two years, I have seen my perspective changing. And, I indeed consider it as a big growth. It’s great to learn from my seniors and gain insights into their journey and how they all have overcome these phases. It gives me hope and motivation to keep on trying and making new mistakes.

What is there to do outside of work?

Raj: There are places to eat and drink, old bazaars and markets to explore, and there’s a pretty decent second-hand book selection in town. Bangalore is surrounded by the Western Ghats, so there are wildlife, rainforests and jungles around us. It is also a wine-growing region, and the wine grown about an hour from the campus is actually very good.

Varsha: There are extracurricular clubs on campus, including movie and book clubs, dance and music clubs, concerts and dance shows arranged by the institute regularly. We also have a very good gym and sports facility.

Anubhav: The campus is at the intersection of the tall building, serving nice coffee and beer and hills, giving you a scenic drive, trek, and wines.

Raman: I like to play all the sports, especially cricket, badminton and sometimes swimming. I also watch different sports. And I love watching movies.

Neelanjana: There are various talks and exhibitions organised by the Archives in NCBS about history of science and its influence on general society which are always interesting to hear. Being a very green campus, a quick walk around is very refreshing to experience. Also taking clicks from the SLC terrace during sunset time.

Fenil: Outside of lab, I love to attend talks, concerts, and playing sports.

Rridhi: There are groups on campus that organise treks, stargazing, observing and photographing birds/butterflies/fireflies.

Palak: There are many things that you can do outside of the lab. But what I like the most is chilling in my room while watching some show, dancing to random songs, making mandalas (it brings so much serenity), going for night walks, exercising or probably having a small catch up session with my friends. It’s fun to hang out with them and listen to their gossip or have game nights with them.

(4 votes)
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[This October newsletter was originally sent out to Development’s journal news mailing list. This edition features, amongst other items, news of our upcoming celebratory conference and an update from our Pathway to Independence programme.]

Biologists @ 100

2025 marks 100 years since the founding of our publisher, The Company of Biologists. To mark this occasion, we are excited to invite you to The Company of Biologists’ 100-year anniversary conference Biologists @ 100, which will take place 24-27 March 2025 in Liverpool, UK.

The conference will bring together a range of scientists in developmental biology, cell biology, comparative physiology and disease biology. It will incorporate the 2025 Spring Meeting of the British Society for Developmental Biology, alongside other scientific strands, and plenary sessions that cover topics of importance to the whole biological community. The cell and developmental biology strand includes a list of outstanding speakers, including Development’s former Editor-in-Chief Olivier Pourquié.  

To find out more, read this Node post by Development’s Reviews Editor Alex Eve and visit the conference website, from where you can now register for the meeting. Our community site the Node is also looking for a meeting reporter for this exciting event. 

You’ll be hearing much more about how the Company has evolved over the past century, and our perspective for the future, throughout the course of next year.

Pathway to Independence programme

Last month, we were delighted to welcome our 2024 cohort of ‘Pathway to Independence’ (PI) fellows to our office in Cambridge for a three-day meeting – a key part of the support we’re providing them over the course of this year.

During this time, each fellow had the opportunity to present their ‘research vision’ to the rest of the group, as well as to some of last year’s PI fellows and the Development in-house team, and to gather feedback on how best to articulate their future research plans. This was followed by a two-day leadership training course run by hfp consulting, described by one of our fellows as “a very positive, enriching and informative experience that allowed me to learn tools and tricks I will be able to use in all spheres of my life”. We’re delighted to be supporting these talented postdocs as they apply for independent positions, and hope to grow this network of young leaders in the developmental biology field in coming years – look out for an announcement about the next call for applications later this year. 

Find out more about our PI fellows’ research interests and thoughts on the future of the field in this Perspective article.

Special issues

Our 2024 special issue, Uncovering Developmental Diversity, is now being finalised and will be complete by the end of this month. Featuring over 30 different species, and covering topics ranging from axis determination in kelp to body size plasticity in sea anemones, this issue showcases some of the cutting edge research now possible in non-classical experimental systems. 

Do also look out for the upcoming formal announcement of our 2025 special issue on ‘Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues’. 

The fascinating world of developmental biology

Over the past year, we have been working with the British Society for Developmental Biology and Cambridge Filmworks to produce a video showcasing the wonder and the importance of the developmental biology field.

Featuring Alice Roberts, Professor of Public Engagement at the University of Birmingham, and a host of researchers working across the spectrum of the developmental biology field, we hope this video will help to promote our field and inspire the next generation of developmental biologists. 

Available in both full-length and short versions, we invite you to watch, enjoy and – most importantly – share these movies. 

The Forest of Biologists 

By publishing in one of the journals of The Company of Biologists, you not only contribute to science, but you also directly contribute to the natural world. For each published Research or Review article, we plant a tree in The Forest of Biologists. And to acknowledge our peer reviewers, for each completed peer review we protect a tree in an ancient woodland. Since the launch of this project we have already planted over 2,000 new trees and protected 6,667 existing trees. Visit our virtual forest to check out your tree, or to read more about our forests.

The Company of Biologists’ Grants and Workshops: upcoming deadlines 

Scientific Meeting Grants and Sustainable Conferencing Grants: 8 November 2024

Travelling Fellowships: 25 October 2024

JCS-FocalPlane Training Grants (for attending a microscopy training course): 22 November 2024

Workshop: Modelling Plant Stem Cells: Evolution, Development and Regeneration (18 – 21 May 2025): 15 November 2024

Workshop: Mechanometabolism Unleashed: The Interface of Cell Mechanics and Metabolism (22 – 25 June 2025): 13 December 2024

Recent highlights from the journal

Heterotypic interaction promotes asymmetric division of human hematopoietic progenitors
Manuel Théry, Stéphane Brunet and colleagues
Use of microfabricated niches reveals that interactions between human hematopoietic progenitors and stromal cells promote asymmetric division of progenitors and boost siblings’ heterogeneity, thus contributing to the plasticity of the early steps of hematopoiesis.

Robust organ size in Arabidopsis is primarily governed by cell growth rather than cell division patterns
Adriene Roeder and colleagues
Robust sepal development is preserved despite changes in cell division and is characterized by spatiotemporal averaging of heterogeneity in cell growth rate and direction.

Unravelling differential Hes1 dynamics during axis elongation of mouse embryos through single-cell tracking
Katharina Sonnen and colleagues
Hes1 dynamics in the developing vertebrate embryonic tail reveal distinct oscillation patterns in different tissues: the presomitic mesoderm shows synchronized high amplitudes and the preneural tube shows variable low amplitudes.

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As an 8th year graduate student of a diverse background, my experience in academia has consisted of hurdles, setbacks, and emotional and mental rollercoasters. My journey to climb this career ladder altogether was difficult but there were doors opened and opportunities offered to me so that I was able to progress. Many of my struggles – and those of other students in graduate school – arise from the systemic flaws of the graduate program at large that often leave students with no support or recourse during their graduate career.

The diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) office exists to attract diverse students who are often from marginalized groups and provide them with some support while they are enrolled. However, scholastic DEI efforts in general often lack proper resources and are riddled with deterring bureaucracy. Students who come from marginalized backgrounds are typically left to navigate an arduous academic program that was not built for them to thrive and succeed. Despite the limitations of current DEI efforts, students still have an avenue to seek help and resources. But now, there is a grave risk of DEI offices being scrapped in academic institutions as it has become a hot-button issue in the current political climate. According to an article published by NBC News in March 2024, at least 30 states have either introduced, passed at least in one chamber, or fully enacted anti-DEI legislations that deter DEI efforts in institutions receiving state funding. As a result, these institutions are forced to either abolish their DEI policies and work, or risk losing state funding.

Many of us have personally seen far too many under-represented students struggle in graduate schools and eventually are either gently advised to master out of PhD programs, or blatantly forced to quit altogether. In her article in Botany One, Claire Mauss quoted the United States National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) report that only 19% of the total of over 1 million doctorate and master’s degrees conferred in the 2018-2019 academic year were awarded to under-represented minority students. This number does not include those who are from lower income backgrounds. Although institutions are now focusing more on recruiting diverse trainees and researchers, they are then challenged with retaining these workers.

Establishing a DEI office in academic institutions was meant to somewhat combat the issues at hand. While the DEI office has helped many students progress through their program, it is far from perfect. Delving deeper, having DEI efforts or not, the issue with the American graduate program has persisted for decades where exploitation of students is a common practice. Many graduate programs have little to no workers’ protections for their graduate students. For instance, reports of Title IX, discrimination, and abuse misconduct by graduate students often go through a series of internal investigations that do not necessarily provide justice for them. This frequently leads students to lose trust in the system, leaving them feeling sidelined and compelled to accept their circumstances without reporting. Moreover, the start of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has pushed so many workers, including graduate student workers, to organize and unionize to demand fair wages and better protections as student workers. With the heightened attacks and changes on Title IX and DEI, it is perhaps time for all students and trainees to come together as a collective to protect each other. The onus might be on academic institutions to protect and improve the current policies in place that encourage the diverse, equal, and inclusive workplace settings, however, we as trainees must also galvanize our efforts in pursuing other avenues to improve our working experience in academic research so that we can pave a better road for future diverse trainees to excel in this field.

(3 votes)
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