Skeletogenesis, a key morphogenetic event in the embryonic development of vertebrates, is also a very important, albeit a transient, milestone in the development of a marine invertebrate, the sea urchin. In recent years this biological system, in which the biomineralization process can be investigated in a well-defined, single cell type (the primary mesenchyme cell), has received considerable study. The objective of this review is to summarize our current knowledge about skeletogenesis in the sea urchin embryo and highlight the outstanding questions that remain to be answered. It will become apparent that there are two broad sets of questions: one set pertains to cell differentiation and morphogenesis; the other is concerned with basic cellular processes that are common to most cell types in a developing organism, such as cell-cell interactions, membrane fusion, ion transport and exocytosis. The former set of questions has been reviewed on numerous occasions, most recently by Morrill...
The Company of Biologists Workshops
For the last 15 years, our publisher, The Company of Biologists, has provided an apt environment to inspire biology and support biologists through our Workshops series. Read about the evolution of the Workshop series and revisit JEB's experience with hosting the first Global South Workshop.
Call for papers – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues
Development invites you to submit your latest research to our upcoming special issue – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues. This issue will be coordinated by Guest Editors Meritxell Huch (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Germany) and Mansi Srivastava (Harvard University and Museum of Comparative Zoology, USA), working alongside our team of academic Editors. Submit your articles by 30 May 2025.
Meet our 2025 Pathway to Independence (PI) fellows
We are delighted to announce our third cohort of PI fellows - researchers whom we will be supporting as they transition from postdoc to Principal Investigator. Read about the eight talented fellows chosen, whom we're excited to be working with as they navigate the job market.
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