Issues

Summary: This Cell Science at a Glance and the accompanying poster summarize recent advances in the mechanistic understanding of gamete fusion in eukaryotes, with a particular focus on mammalian species.

Summary: We define the cell as mechanical machinery, highlighting the role of mechanosensory proteins and conceptualising the coupling of mechanical linkages to mechanochemical switches that enables conversion of forces into biological signals.

Summary: Optical and electrophysiological studies of MCU^+/− neurons reveal a previously unrecognised role for mitochondria in regulating presynaptic plasticity of a major excitatory pathway.

Summary: The fine tuning of substrate adherence through nanopatterning allows control of mesenchymal cell migration and determines condensation during chondrogenesis in vitro.

Highlighted Article: Neuronal dynamin-1 levels are reduced in absence of MUNC18-1, suggesting that MUNC18-1 exerts control over mRNA and protein levels of other presynaptic genes.

Highlighted Article: Cancer stem cells are composed of heterogenic subpopulations in terms of HES1 promoter activation. These subpopulations display differential migration potential, stemness and ability to transition from one state to another.

Summary: A tethering complex composed by LMF1 and IMC10 highlights the importance of pellicle–mitochondrion membrane contact sites in maintaining organelle morphology and distribution in Toxoplasma gondii.