RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
PRIMER
- Model systems for regeneration: Arabidopsis
Summary: This Primer discusses the repertoire of regenerative responses shown by plants, despite their rigid cell walls and lack of cell migration, using Arabidopsis as a model.
REVIEWS
- The development and stem cells of the esophagus
Summary: This Review is focused on the roles of the major signaling pathways and transcription factors in the specification, morphogenesis and maintenance of the esophagus.
- Mammalian primordial germ cell specification
Summary: The peri-implantation window of mammalian development is crucial for primordial germ cell (PGC) specification. This Review discusses the induction of PGCs in key mammalian models, including the new stem cell-based embryo models.
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
- Dynamic extrinsic pacing of the HOX clock in human axial progenitors controls motor neuron subtype specification
Highlighted Article: Control by extrinsic factors of the sequential activation of HOX genes in axial progenitors is revealed by motor neuron subtype specification in human pluripotent stem cells.
- Defining the signalling determinants of a posterior ventral spinal cord identity in human neuromesodermal progenitor derivatives
Summary: An efficient strategy is described for the in vitro generation of previously hard-to-produce posterior spinal cord progenitors and MNs exhibiting a thoracic axial and, in particular, preganglionic columnar identity.
STEM CELLS AND REGENERATION
- Ecdysone regulates the Drosophila imaginal disc epithelial barrier, determining the length of regeneration checkpoint delay
Summary: The Drosophila imaginal disc epithelial barrier matures in response to increasing ecdysone levels and re-localization of Cora along the lateral membrane: this limits Dilp8 signaling and determines the duration of regeneration-induced developmental delay.
- PRDM16 regulates a temporal transcriptional program to promote progression of cortical neural progenitors
Summary: During neocortical development, PRDM16 promotes temporal progression of radial glia by regulating a dynamic gene expression program. This activity ensures the transition from mid- to late-neurogenesis.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
- Groucho co-repressor proteins regulate β cell development and proliferation by repressing Foxa1 in the developing mouse pancreas
Summary: Pancreatic β cells require Groucho co-repressors during development to repress a master regulator of the liver genetic program, Foxa1, and to allow Neurod1-mediated β cell expansion.
- A mechanogenetic role for the actomyosin complex in branching morphogenesis of epithelial organs
Summary: Actomyosin contractility guides the architectures of epithelial organs and regulates gene expression for progenitor cell patterning during branching morphogenesis.
- An L-type lectin receptor-like kinase promotes starch accumulation during rice pollen maturation
Summary: abnormal pollen 1 encodes an L-type lectin receptor-like kinase and affects pollen starch accumulation through interaction with and phosphorylation of OsUGP2.
- Blocking estrogen-induced AMH expression is crucial for normal follicle formation
Highlighted Article: An in vitro study inferring that successful follicle assembly under the circulating physiological level of estrogen in the mouse fetus is achieved by liver-produced alpha-fetoprotein.
- Sox2-Evf2 lncRNA-mediated mechanisms of chromosome topological control in developing forebrain
Highlighted Article: Evf2 lncRNA-enhancer targeting and long-range gene repression occur through regulation of pioneer transcription factor Sox2 in large subnuclear domains, controlling domain sizes, localization, site-specific Sox2 recruitment and DNA binding.
TECHNIQUES AND RESOURCES
- A developmental lineage-based gene co-expression network for mouse pancreatic β-cells reveals a role for Zfp800 in pancreas development
Summary: Calculation of a gene co-expression network for pancreatic β-cell development reveals crucial roles for the clustered protocadherin genes and Zfp800 in pancreas development.
- Protein manipulation using single copies of short peptide tags in cultured cells and in Drosophila melanogaster
Summary: Single copies of short epitope tags were inserted into proteins of interest, allowing for in vivo binding and manipulation of the resulting chimeric proteins by genetically encoded epitope binders.
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Upcoming special issue: call for papers
The Immune System in Development and Regeneration
Guest editors: Florent Ginhoux and Paul Martin
Submission deadline: 1 September 2021
Publication: Spring 2022
The special issue welcomes Review articles as well as Research articles, and will be widely promoted online and at key global conferences.
The people behind the papers - Clément Dubois, Shivam Gupta, Andrew Mugler and Marie-Anne Félix
A new paper investigates the robustness of neuroblast migration in the C. elegans larva in the face of both genetic and environmental variation. In an interview, the paper's four authors tell us more about the story.
Development presents...
Our successful webinar series continues into 2021, with early-career researchers presenting their papers and a chance to virtually network with the developmental biology community afterwards. Every talk is recorded and since launching in August last year, the series has clocked up almost 10k views on YouTube.
Here, Swann Floc'hlay discusses her work modelling dorsal-ventral axis specification in the sea urchin embryo.
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14 April
Time: 17:00 BST
Chaired by: François Guillemot
12 May
Time: TBC
Chaired by: Paola Arlotta
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