Issues
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
EDITORIAL
INTERVIEWS
SPOTLIGHT
Cellular diversity of human inner ear organoids revealed by single-cell transcriptomics
Summary: This Spotlight discusses recent studies using single-cell transcriptomics to investigate cellular heterogeneity within human inner ear organoids and their similarity to the native tissue.
REVIEW
Bioengineering vascularization
Summary: This Review examines the role of bioengineered vasculature in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, discussing design principles, self-assembly, microfluidics, 3D printing and challenges such as hierarchical branching, organ specificity and scalability for clinical use.
STEM CELLS AND REGENERATION
Molecular characterization and sub-retinal transplantation of hypoimmunogenic human retinal sheets in a minipig model of severe photoreceptor degeneration
Highlighted Article: When grafted into damaged pig sub-retinal space, polarized retinal sheets enriched in cone photoreceptor progenitors generated from human iPSCs survive and integrate the host retinal tissue, providing a framework for clinical tests.
Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells are required for organoid survival after genotoxic injury
Summary: Primary intestinal organoids rely on Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells for survival following genotoxic injury induced by doxorubicin treatment, clarifying the cell types necessary for intestinal organoid regeneration in vitro.
flt1 inactivation promotes zebrafish cardiac regeneration by enhancing endothelial activity and limiting the fibrotic response
Summary: flt1 inactivation promotes zebrafish cardiac regeneration by enhancing coronary revascularization and endocardial expansion, while limiting myofibroblast differentiation.
RESEARCH REPORT
A Pax3 lineage gives rise to transient haematopoietic progenitors
Summary: Pax3-expressing cells generate neural crest and paraxial mesoderm. Here, we show that they also produce transient haematopoietic progenitors capable of generating embryonic myeloid and erythroid cells.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
ARPP19 phosphorylation site evolution and the switch in cAMP control of oocyte maturation in vertebrates
Summary: A cross-species study providing new understanding of the biochemical regulation by cAMP-PKA of oocyte meiotic resumption and how initiation of oocyte maturation has complexified during animal evolution.
Gonadal sex reversal at single-cell resolution in Znrf3-deficient mice
Summary: ZNRF3-deficient embryonic male gonads exhibit pervasive disruption of sex-specific expression leading to unresolved gonadal supporting cell fates.
MRCK-1 activates non-muscle myosin for outgrowth of a unicellular tube in Caenorhabditis elegans
Summary: A previously unreported function for non-muscle myosin downstream of MRCK-1 in excretory canal outgrowth that may be conserved in the development of seamless tubes in other organisms.
The m5C reader protein Ybx1 promotes axon growth by regulating local translation in axons
Summary: The axonally synthesized m5C reader Ybx1 regulates axon growth by controlling local translation of its target mRNAs, which could be a general mechanism in both the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Testosterone acts through the membrane protein GPRC6A to cause cardiac edema in zebrafish embryos
Highlighted Article: A previously unreported non-genomic androgen signaling pathway in embryonic development is revealed by a chemical-genetic screen in zebrafish.
Three-dimensional anatomy and dorsoventral asymmetry of the mature Marchantia polymorpha meristem develops from a symmetrical gemma meristem
Summary: The anatomy, symmetry and gene expression of the Marchantia polymorpha meristem changes during its lifespan, providing a foundational framework for identifying previously unreported mechanisms of meristem regulation.
Distinct effects of CDK8 module subunits on cellular growth and proliferation in Drosophila
Summary: Dysregulation of the CDK8 kinase module is linked to human diseases. This study reveals distinct roles of CDK8-CycC and Med12-Med13 in ribosome biogenesis, nascent protein synthesis, and cell-cycle progression.
Contributions of the Dachsous intracellular domain to Dachsous-Fat signaling
Summary: Protein binding and genetic studies identify and characterize structural and functional motifs within the intracellular domain of Drosophila Dachsous.
Biologists @ 100 - join us in Liverpool in March 2025
We are excited to invite you to a unique scientific conference, celebrating the 100-year anniversary of The Company of Biologists, and bringing together our different communities. The conference will incorporate the Spring Meetings of the BSCB and the BSDB, the JEB Symposium Sensory Perception in a Changing World and a DMM programme on antimicrobial resistance. Find out more and register your interest to join us in March 2025 in Liverpool, UK.
Pathway to independence: perspectives on the future
In this Perspective, our second cohort of Pathway to Independence (PI) fellows showcase their research interests and thoughts on the future of the field of developmental biology. These talented postdocs cover topics as diverse as plant development, tissue engineering and adaptation to climate change. Look out for an announcement about the next call for applications later this year to become a Pathway to Independence fellow.
Development presents…
Development is excited to host a webinar series showcasing the latest developmental biology and stem cell research. The webinars are chaired each month by a different Development Editor, who invites talks from authors of exciting new papers and preprints. Visit Development presents... on the Node to see which topics are coming up and to catch up on recordings of past webinars.
The fascinating world of developmental biology
Development, British Society of Developmental Biology and Cambridge Filmworks teamed up to produce a documentary showcasing the wonder and the importance of the developmental biology field. We hope this video will help to promote our field and inspire the next generation of developmental biologists. We invite you to watch, enjoy and – most importantly - share this movie.
