Issues

Summary: This Spotlight article discusses the use of CRISPR-based genome engineering in human embryos and the emerging themes therein.

Summary: ouchless phenotypes are attributed to an essential splice site mutation affecting adgra2 (gpr124) splicing and function, rather than to downregulated sorbs3 transcript levels, as previously thought.

Summary: This Meeting Review summarises the major themes and results presented at the second 'From Stem Cells to Human Development' meeting, held in October 2016.

Summary: This Review discusses how single cell RNA sequencing has been used to study developmental and stem cell biology, providing insights into cell type diversity and developmental dynamics.

Summary: Epidermal fate is autonomously determined by a gene circuit beginning with Sox1/2/3 and Tfap2-r.b in ascidian embryos.

Summary: The temporally non-overlapping expression of Foxa.a and Zic-r.b in the brain lineage is regulated by three repressors: Prdm1-r.a, Prdm1-r.b and Hes.a.

Highlighted article: Genital ridge somatic cells have the potential to differentiate into supporting cells or steroidogenic cells depending on Wt1 gene expression.

Highlighted article: Computational modelling reveals that Sachs' rule, animal-vegetal polarization of cell division, cortical rotation and adhesion are the main contributing variables to spiral cleavage.

Highlighted article: Metabolic remodelling during E8.5 to E10.5 in mouse redirects glucose carbon into the pentose phosphate pathway, a process partially regulated by Lin28a.

Summary: Ackr2^−/− mice display precocious mammary gland development as a result of impaired chemokine scavenging and increased macrophage recruitment to the mammary gland.

Summary: Analysis of PDGFRα gain-of-function mutant mice demonstrates a role in balancing the expansion of fibroblast and adipocyte lineages before birth.

Summary: The transient release of tension upon a reduction in the levels of adherens junctions components contributes to apoptotic cell extrusion in Drosophila epithelium.

Summary: Cellular senescence is an intrinsic part of the developmental programme in amphibians and has a conserved role in vertebrate organogenesis.

Summary: Vascular smooth muscle cells are required to help maintain the vascular basement membrane and promote vessel stabilization during development.

Summary: Zar1 RNA binding protein represses zona pellucida RNA translation during early oogenesis. zar1 deletion mutants show ER stress and apoptosis in oocytes and result in an all-male phenotype.

Summary: Ultrabithorax controls correct innervation of ventrolateral muscles by coordinating Wnt4 ligand expression in muscles with the signalling pathway response in motoneurons.

Summary: Epithelial morphogenesis during the transition from the early to late stage of lung development is coordinated by the activity of Wnt signaling.

Summary: A cascade of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors guides tapetal cell development in maize anthers, using proteins conserved in Arabidopsis and rice but deployed with distinctive timing.