Issues
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Cover image
Cover Image
Cover: Stylised confocal image of a zebrafish retina 5 days after fertilisation. Müller glia extend processes throughout the retina, providing structural and non-cell-autonomous support for retinal neurons. The zebrafish protein harmonin (red) localises to Müller cell bodies and processes. Müller cells are also labelled in green in this image, appearing yellow/orange when merged with the red. Defects or deletions in harmonin are causative of Usher syndrome type 1C (USH1C), a severe form of hereditary deaf-blindness. Zebrafish models of human USH1C implicate Müller cells as contributors to visual function and photoreceptor survival. See article by Phillips et al. on page 786. - PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of contents
In This Issue
Research Highlights
Journal Club
A NOD to zebrafish models of inflammatory bowel disease pathogenesis
Summary and comment on a Research Report in this issue of Disease Models & Mechanisms entitled ‘The inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) susceptibility genes NOD1 and NOD2 have conserved anti-bacterial roles in zebrafish’ (Oehlers et al., 2011).
Pathological looping in the synucleinopathies: investigating the link between Parkinson’s disease and Gaucher disease
Summary and comment on a recent Cell paper entitled ‘Gaucher disease glucocerebrosidase and α-synuclein form a bidirectional pathogenic loop in synucleinopathies’ (Mazzulli et al., 2011).
A Model For Life
Mouse genetics for studying mechanisms of deafness and more: an interview with Karen Steel
Karen Steel has dedicated her career to unravelling the many mechanisms underlying deafness using mouse genetics. In this interview, she explains how this area has engaged her attention since the first day she began her PhD, and discusses the power of mouse genetics programmes for advancing all areas of biomedical research.
Book Review
Clinical Puzzle
At A Glance
Special Article
Set points, settling points and some alternative models: theoretical options to understand how genes and environments combine to regulate body adiposity
Commentary
Perspective
Podcast
Research Articles
Harmonin (Ush1c) is required in zebrafish Müller glial cells for photoreceptor synaptic development and function
Research Reports
Call for papers – In Vitro Models of Human Disease to Inform Mechanism and Drug Discovery

We invite you to submit your latest research to our upcoming special issue: In Vitro Models of Human Disease to Inform Mechanism and Drug Discovery, coordinated by DMM Editor Vivian Li (The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK), alongside Guest Editors Austin Smith (University of Exeter, UK) and Joseph Wu (Stanford University School of Medicine, USA).The deadline for submitting articles is 6 October 2025.
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.
Read & Publish Open Access publishing: what authors say

We have had great feedback from authors who have benefitted from our Read & Publish agreement with their institution and have been able to publish Open Access with us without paying an APC. Read what they had to say.
Fast & Fair peer review

Our sister journal Biology Open has recently launched the next phase of their Fast & Fair peer review initiative: offering high-quality peer review within 7 working days. To learn more about BiO’s progress and future plans, read the Editorial by Daniel Gorelick, or visit the Fast & Fair peer review page.
Propose a new Workshop for 2027

We are currently seeking proposals for Workshops to be held in 2027. As one of the scientific organisers of a The Company of Biologists Workshop, your involvement will be focused on interdisciplinary, cutting-edge science and promoting new partnerships and collaborations. We focus on the logistics. Are you thinking about proposing a topic for one of our Workshops? Apply by Friday 30 May 2025.