This article includes recent preLights posts that discuss preprints in the field of developmental and stem cell biology.
Featured preLight
The genome of the colonial hydroid Hydractinia reveals their stem cells utilize a toolkit of evolutionarily shared genes with all animals by Christine E. Schnitzler et al.
Hydractinia single-cell atlas represented as a labeled UMAP with 18 clusters (C0-C17). Figure 4A from Schnitzler et al., 2023 (BioRxiv) published under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
preLighter(s)
Why it was selected
“This study is impressive both in its scope and its comprehensiveness. The authors tackle not one, but two Hydractinia genomes, characterizing a wide array of features inherent to these genomes. They use the generated data to construct a comparative evolutionary framework both within Cnidaria and beyond it. I was surprised by the sheer amount of data generated by the authors, as well as their deft handling and unpacking of it throughout the preprint. I also found their results regarding the widespread presence of i-cell marker genes incredibly interesting and promising for future study. Given Hydractinia’s unique stem cell lineage, it will be a particularly effective model for understanding the extent of this toolkit. Now, with these genomes in hand, it will be possible to further establish this model organism and bridge discoveries across different animal species.”
Other relevant preLight post
A Window into Mammalian Basement Membrane Development: Insights from the mTurq2-Col4a1 Mouse Model by Rebecca A. Jones et al.
Illuminating Insights into basement membrane dynamics.
Selected by Uwe Töpfer. Read the preLight.
LincRNAs enable germ cells differentiation by promoting PUF proteins condensation by Roni Falk et al.
The root of stemness - lincRNAs promote FBF-2 condensation to prevent continuous mitosis in the germline.
Selected by Umutcan Kaan Bozan and Chee Kiang Ewe and preLights peer support. Read the preLight.
PUFFFIN: A novel, ultra-bright, customisable, single-plasmid system for labelling cell neighbourhoods by Tamina Lebek et al.
PUFFFIN: Shining light on cell chat.
Selected by Jennifer Ann Black. Read the preLight.
TLR2 Regulates Hair Follicle Cycle and Regeneration via BMP Signaling by Luyang Xiong et al.
A new miracle cure for hair loss? - How TLR2 signaling fuels hair cycling.
Selected by Marina Schernthanner. Read the preLight.
VEGFA mRNA-LNP promotes biliary epithelial cell-to-hepatocyte conversion in acute and chronic liver diseases and reverses steatosis and fibrosis by Fatima Rizvi et al.
Steer clear of steatosis – VEGFA lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) drive BEC-hepatocyte conversion, an alternative pathway for liver regeneration.
Selected by Organogenesis and Cancer Program. Read the preLight.
Glial Draper signaling triggers cross-neuron plasticity in bystander neurons after neuronal cell death by Yupu Wang et al.
A novel form of neuronal plasticity - when a neuron is injured, their healthy neighbour takes up the slack.
Selected by Matthew Davies. Read the preLight.
