Issues
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Cover image
Cover Image
Cover: Metatarsal from an E16.5 Lifeact-EGFP embryo (Lifeact is false coloured in pink, centre), which has been dissected and put into culture. Blood vessels (visualised with CD31, purple) sprout from the metatarsal to form a complex vascular network, allowing for ex vivo analysis of vascular density and sprout dynamics. See Research article by Schimmel et al. (dev185405).
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RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
INTERVIEW
SPOTLIGHT
Responsible use of organoids in precision medicine: the need for active participant involvement
Summary: In this Spotlight, we argue why a shift from passive donation towards more active involvement of patient-participants is particularly crucial for biobank research on complex tissues such as organoids aimed at precision medicine.
PRIMER
Model systems for regeneration: Drosophila
Summary: In Drosophila, new precision approaches to inducing tissue damage have enabled targeted injury and genetic manipulation of regenerating tissue. Here, we discuss these techniques and the mechanisms that regulate regeneration in Drosophila larval and adult tissues.
REVIEW
Understanding generation and regeneration of pancreatic β cells from a single-cell perspective
Summary: This Review summarizes recent advances in the use of single-cell based technologies to understand intermediate cell states, cellular heterogeneity and molecular trajectories of β-cell generation and regeneration.
STEM CELLS AND REGENERATION
Neurogenesis in the inner ear: the zebrafish statoacoustic ganglion provides new neurons from a Neurod/Nestin-positive progenitor pool well into adulthood
Summary: This study provides the first comprehensive characterization of the zebrafish statoacoustic ganglion showing that, in sharp contrast to mammals, zebrafish display continued neurogenesis in the inner ear into adult stages.
Planarian cell number depends on blitzschnell, a novel gene family that balances cell proliferation and cell death
Highlighted Article: blitzschnell is a novel gene family that controls cell number during planarian regeneration and nutrient-dependent growth/degrowth. Its expression depends on food ingestion and mTOR signaling.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
Reduction of endocytic activity accelerates cell elimination during tissue remodeling of the Drosophila epidermal epithelium
Summary: Reduction of endocytic activity in Drosophila larval cells promotes cell elimination by stimulating Myosin II reorganization and a positive-feedback loop between caspase activation and E-cadherin.
MMP14 is required for delamination of chick neural crest cells independently of its catalytic activity
Summary: MMP14 is required for the delamination of chick neural crest cells by promoting the basal positioning of nuclei during EMT, an effect that is independent of its catalytic activity.
Physical interactions between Gsx2 and Ascl1 balance progenitor expansion versus neurogenesis in the mouse lateral ganglionic eminence
Summary: This study demonstrates that Gsx2 physically interacts with the proneural factor Ascl1 in LGE progenitors and interferes with the DNA binding capacity of Ascl1, thus priming progenitors for neurogenesis while allowing for further expansion.
Oriented basement membrane fibrils provide a memory for F-actin planar polarization via the Dystrophin-Dystroglycan complex during tissue elongation
Summary: This work reveals the roles of basement membrane fibrils and stress fibers during tissue elongation in the Drosophila ovarian follicle and two new developmental functions for the Dystrophin-Dystroglycan complex.
Gene regulatory network controlling carpel number variation in cucumber
Summary: A gene regulatory pathway involving CsCLV3, CsWUS, CsFUL1A and CsARF14 determines carpel number variation in an important vegetable crop – cucumber.
Wnt ligands regulate the asymmetric divisions of neuronal progenitors in C. elegans embryos
Highlighted Article: Time-controlled gain- and loss-of-function experiments reveal that Wnt ligands play an instructive role in the regulation of the terminal asymmetric divisions of neuronal progenitors.
Myosin heavy chain-embryonic regulates skeletal muscle differentiation during mammalian development
Highlighted Article: Myh3 mouse alleles reveal that MyHC-embryonic is crucial for skeletal muscle development and adult Myh3 null mice exhibit scoliosis, a phenotype seen in congenital contracture syndromes.
c-Src controls stability of sprouting blood vessels in the developing retina independently of cell-cell adhesion through focal adhesion assembly
Summary: c-Src is required for developmental angiogenic sprouting in the retina by controlling cell-matrix adhesion, revealing a context-dependent role for kinase signaling in endothelial cells.
CORRECTION
History of our journals
As our publisher, The Company of Biologists, turns 100 years old, read about Development’s journey and highlights from some its first issues, and explore the history of each of our sister journals: Journal of Cell Science, Journal of Experimental Biology, Disease Models & Mechanisms and Biology Open.
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 15 May 2025.
A case for broadening our view of mechanism in developmental biology
In this Perspective, B. Duygu Özpolat and colleagues survey researchers on their views on what it takes to infer mechanism in developmental biology. They examine what factors shape our idea of what we mean by ‘mechanism’ and suggest a path forward that embraces a broad outlook on the diversity of studies that advance knowledge in our field.
In preprints
Did you know that Development publishes perspectives on recent preprints? These articles help our readers navigate the ever-growing preprint literature. We welcome proposals for ‘In preprints’ articles, so please do get in touch if you’d like to contribute.
