Persistent injury to the liver eventually leads to fibrosis and, in the worst cases, liver failure. Although several rodent models for inducible, acute liver fibrosis are available, only a few transgenic mouse models have been described that spontaneously develop liver fibrosis. Now, Kong et al. have created a novel transgenic mouse model for chronic liver fibrosis by using a gene-trap strategy to disrupt the Ncu-g1 gene, which encodes a lysosomal membrane protein that is expressed in the liver. Ncu-g1gt/gt mice develop and grow normally, the researchers report, but spontaneously develop liver fibrosis and exhibit the molecular hallmarks of well-established fibrosis by the age of 6 months. Ncu-g1gt/gt mice might, therefore, provide an animal model for the study of chronic liver injury and liver fibrosis, and for the development of treatments for these conditions. Page 351
DMM Outstanding Paper Prize
"I am honored to receive the DMM 2020 Prize! This project had more than the average number of trials and tribulations, which is saying a lot, and now I know it was all worth it!"
Congratulations to Sarah Colijn, winner of the DMM Outstanding Paper Prize 2020. Sarah’s work challenges research regarding atherosclerosis and necroptosis to rethink the role of RIPK3.
An Fgfr3-activating mutation in immature murine osteoblasts affects the appendicular and craniofacial skeleton
In this month’s Editor’s Choice, Laurence Legeai-Mallet and colleagues show how Fgfr3 hyperactivation affects immature osteoblasts, contributing to the bone modifications observed in achondroplasia.
Life after a Travelling Fellowship
Ahead of the upcoming application deadline for a Travelling Fellowship on 31 May, Sina Krokowski talks about the ongoing impact of her trip in 2015, when she visited the Carballido-López lab in Paris to learn a technique that was vital for her PhD.
The DMM Conference Travel Grant deadline is also fast approaching. Apply for a grant to attend an event, virtual or otherwise, by 17 May.
Virtual Meeting - Developmental Disorders: From Mechanism to Treatment
A collaboration between the Development and Disease Models & Mechanisms journal teams, this virtual Meeting will unite developmental biologists, human geneticists and clinical researchers to focus on building bridges from bench to clinic. Register your interest and find out more.
Automated in vivo drug screen in zebrafish identifies synapse-stabilising drugs with relevance to spinal muscular atrophy
New work from the Becker Lab at the University of Edinburgh details an automated and high-throughput screening platform to identify compounds relevant to motor neuron disease using younger, less-pigmented zebrafish embryos.
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