Issues
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Cover image
Cover Image
Pictured is an adult African elephant flexing their muscular hydrostat trunk at Zoo Atlanta in Atlanta, GA, USA. The elephant trunk is an extension of the upper lip and inspiration for many types of new and innovative scientific discoveries. Read about the discoveries in the paper by Schulz et al. Photo taken by Zoo Atlanta/Adam K. Thompson. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.
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REVIEWS
A Year at the Forefront of Gliding Locomotion
Summary: This review further challenges the previous notion of gliding as a relatively simple form of aerial locomotion. It reinforces the concept of gliding as a sophisticated behavior that involves the interdependent aspects of morphology, sensing, environment, and likely selective pressures.
A Year at the Forefront of Hydrostat Motion
Summary: A review of the new innovations, technology, and hypothesis surrounding the structures, functions, and mechanisms of hydrostats.
Basement membrane dynamics and mechanics in tissue morphogenesis
Summary: Basement membranes (BMs) are critical for morphogenesis. This Review provides an overview of the mechanisms by which BMs can be remodelled to regulate the shape of tissues and organs.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
Preferential killing of melanoma cells by a p16-related peptide
Summary: The prospect for metastatic melanoma patients remains poor despite novel therapies; co-therapies are needed. We describe a peptide that efficiently kills metastatic melanoma cell lines yet spares normal fibroblasts.
Population-level antagonism between FGF and BMP signaling steers mesoderm differentiation in embryonic stem cells
Summary: Single-cell analysis of differentiating embryonic stem cells suggests that FGF orchestrates mammalian mesoderm differentiation via positive autoregulation and repression of BMP signaling.
Low colostrum intake results in potential accumulation of peroxisome lipid substrates in vaginal tissue of 3-week-old gilts
Summary: Upon birth, neonates ingest colostrum and the level of intake is related to long-term health and development. We report that gilts with low levels of colostrum intake have greater abundance of lipids metabolized in peroxisomes, which may indicate inadequate initiation of beta-oxidation to catabolize fats.
Neutrophils form extracellular traps in response to Opisthorchis viverrini crude antigens, which are elevated in neutrophils from opisthorchiasis patients with hepatobiliary abnormalities
Summary: This paper provides novel findings regarding a formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in response to liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini crude antigens exposure. We found for the first time that neutrophil extracellular traps can be formed in neutrophils from parasite free individuals, and the level of these traps are associated with the hepatobiliary abnormalities in opisthorchiasis patients.
Innervation of the developing kidney in vivo and in vitro
Summary: In the developing mouse kidney, neurons first invade the kidney between day 13 and 14 of embryonic development and follow the course of the maturing arteries.
G9a inactivation in progenitor cells with Isl1-Cre with reduced recombinase activity models aspects of Dandy-Walker complex
Summary: Analysis of the effect of conditional G9a inactivation mediated by Isl1-Cre with decreased recombinase activity in mice indicated that dysregulation of G9a-controlled gene expression contributes to Dandy-Walker complex.
Isolation and evaluation of erythroid progenitors in the livers of larval, froglet, and adult Xenopus tropicalis
Summary: A fluorescence-activated cell sorting method was applied using specific antibodies against Xenopus erythroid progenitors. This method enables genotyping and evaluation of erythroid cells in the livers of Xenopus sp.
Frequency-dependent avoidance movement of glass catfish in response to sinusoidal electrical stimulation and associated spiking patterns of electroreceptors
Summary: This paper shows that glass catfish exhibit frequency- and stimulus intensity-dependent avoidance behavior in response to alternating electric current stimulation.
METHODS & TECHNIQUES
A functional sgRNA-CRISPR screening method for generating murine RET and NTRK1 rearranged oncogenes
Summary: Addressing questions in tumor initiation and experimental therapeutics require immunocompetent systems. A broadly adaptable method for screening sgRNA pairs that induce gene rearrangements encoding murine oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinases is presented.
Assessment of avian health status: suitability and constraints of the Zoetis VetScan VS2 blood analyser for ecological and evolutionary studies
Summary: Measuring multiple parameters of physiology in wild animals remains difficult. We evaluate a veterinary device the VetScan blood analyser, including effects of storage time and handling stress, typical during (semi-)field conditions.
FIRST PERSON
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A new Editor-in-Chief and new future for Biology Open

Find out more about the changes at the helm of Biology Open from departing Editor-in-Chief Steve Kelly and Director of The Company of Biologists Laura Machesky. The first Editorial from our new Editor-in-Chief Daniel Gorelick can be read here.
A Year at the Forefront Review

This A Year at the Forefront of Gliding Locomotion Review by Pranav C. Khandelwal, Mohamed A. Zakaria and John J. Socha looks closely at the complex interplay of anatomy, environment and adaptation in animals like flying snakes, dolphins and more.
Basement membrane dynamics and mechanics in tissue morphogenesis

Read one of our most recent Future Leader Reviews by Uwe Töpfer which provides an overview of the mechanisms by which Basement membranes can be remodeled to regulate the shape of tissues and organs.
Future Leader Reviews
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Read & Publish Open Access publishing: what authors say

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