Many mouse somatic clones arrest at implantation with a pattern of developmental failure that resembles that of Oct4-deficient mouse embryos – a transcription factor-encoding gene required for inner cell mass (ICM) development. To investigate whether somatic clone embryonic development fails because of the incomplete reactivation of genes, likeOct4, that are required for the development of a pluripotent ICM,Bortvin and colleagues analysed the expression of 10 genes with anOct4-like embryonic expression pattern, and Oct4 itself, in cloned blastocysts derived from cumulus and ES cells. Their findings, onp. 1673, show that only 62% of cumulus-derived blastocysts correctly express all eleven genes tested, whereas ES cell-derived and normal embryos express them normally, indicating that the incomplete reactivation of such genes might contribute to the embryonic failure of somatic clones.
The Forest of Biologists
We are excited to announce the launch of The Forest of Biologists, a new biodiversity initiative created with support from the Woodland Trust, aiming to counteract nature loss and safeguard some of the most critically endangered ecosystems for future generations. Click here to see our virtual forest: For every Research Article and Review/Commentary article that is published in Development a native tree is planted in a forest in the UK.
Propose a new Workshop for 2025
Do you have an idea for a Workshop? We are now accepting proposals for our 2025 Biologists Workshops programme. As the scientific organiser, your involvement will be focused on the science. We'll take care of all the logistics. In 2025 we'll continue our efforts to diversify our Workshop programme and will be reserving one of our Workshops for an application from a Global South (GS) country to host an event overseas.
Pathway to Independence Programme - introducing our first PI Fellows
In December 2022, we announced a new programme aimed at supporting researchers as they transition from postdoc to Principal Investigator. We are delighted to announce that we have now selected our first cohort of PI fellows, meet them here.
Development Journal Meeting 2023
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We are delighted to announce that our 2023 Journal Meeting ‘Unconventional and Emerging Experimental Organisms in Cell and Developmental Biology’ will be held from 17-20 September 2023 at Wotton House, Surrey, UK. Find out more and register here.
Call for papers: Metabolic and Nutritional Control of Development and Regeneration
We are welcoming submissions for our next special issue, which will focus on metabolic and nutritional control of development and regeneration. Submission deadline: 15 May 2023.
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