Developmental Biology
LightNews LightNews
banner
devbiol.bsky.social
Developmental Biology
@devbiol.bsky.social
3.3K followers 51 following 290 posts
https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/developmental-biology
Posts Replies Media Videos
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature

Fritz Müller’s "Für Darwin" (1864) bridged evolution and development, anticipating evo-devo and warning to the dangers of scientific dogma

By Scott Gilbert and Beatrice Steinert
tinyurl.com/3sccvcr5

#SpecialIssue on Research that transformed #DevBio
Yellowed and aged book cover: "Für Darwin Von Fritz Müller / Mit 67 Figuren in Holzschnitt / Leipzig, Verlag von Wilhelm Engelmann 1864" Source: Wellcome Collection.
November 10, 2025 at 12:35 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature

Developmental life history transitions can be shaped by structural inequities: Insights from the sociology of race

by Sarah McMenamin, Latrica Best

sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Ways in which social structures can impact human life history.
November 7, 2025 at 10:25 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature 🐣🐠

Cereblon E3 ligase complex genes are expressed in tissues sensitive to thalidomide in chicken and zebrafish embryos but are unchanged following thalidomide exposure

By LR Fraga, J Reeves, C Mahony, L Erskine, N Vargesson
tinyurl.com/2fx6pbay

#SpecialIssue in Avian Model Systems
Wholemount images of Zebrafish embryos following treatment with either DMSO (A-P) or Thalidomide (A′-P′) at 6hpf and fixed 24h and stained by in-situ hybridisation for crbn, ddb1, cul4A and ikzf1. No differences between DMSO and thalidomide treated embryos was observed. Arrowheads indicate where expression is present in controls and unchanged in thalidomide treated embryos. Note tail twisting in thalidomide treated embryos in A′, B′, C′, D’. Scale bars: 500 μm.
November 6, 2025 at 2:56 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature 🐦🦴

Micro-CT 3D structures provide new criteria which can be used to identify medullary bone and female individuals in the avian fossil record.

By Crane AH, Baldry CJ, Rankin KE, Clarkin CE, Williams KA, Gostling NJ.

tinyurl.com/pw5s23js

#SpecialIssue on Avian model systems
Diagram showing he differences between a healthy female bird bone with medullary bone and a pathological bird bone with avian osteoporosis. For each there is a global scan of tibiotarsi whole bone in lateral view, a micro-CT 3D cube reconstruction, and microCT cubes highlighting osteocyte lacunae. In between a box with writing "Differences include: Structural anisotropy, Connectivity density, Trabecular thickness, Osteocyte lacunae orientation".
November 5, 2025 at 1:38 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature #Review

This review paper elucidates the organizational principles underlying the integument.

By Chuong, C. M., Wu, P., Yu, Z., Liang, Y. C., & Widelitz, R. B.
doi.org/10.1016/j.yd...
A conceptual diagram illustrating tissue patterning during the development and regeneration of a prototypical amniote skin. Complex tissue patterns are established through De novo patterning and multiple steps in adaptive patterning. Regulatory patterning refers to the modifications of appendage phenotypes in adults to adapt to environmental changes. Regenerative patterning describes the reformation of tissue patterns after loss, as observed in wound regeneration or organoid morphogenesis of dissociated progenitor cells.
November 4, 2025 at 10:11 AM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature Review

Cyclic renewal in three ectodermal appendage follicles: Hairs, feathers and teeth

by Ping Wu et al

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
“Scales” in mammals, birds and reptiles: Not all scales are equal.
November 3, 2025 at 2:22 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature 🪰

Drosophila grh relies on multiple enhancers for robust expression in neural stem cells, with different combinations playing a critical role in regulating its expression in subsets of these cells

By R Sipani, Y Rawal, J Barman, P Abbur, V Kurlawala, & R Joshi
tinyurl.com/2aufrc2w
Novel CREs Int-2C and Ex1up-lacZ show activity in all the Grh-expressing NSCs at the late L3 stage. Scale bars are 50µm.
October 31, 2025 at 2:51 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature 🐟

Retinoic acid promotes second heart field addition & regulates ventral aorta patterning in zebrafish.

-by Austin Griffin, Allison Small, Jennifer Schumacher, et al
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The posterior ventral aorta domain is expanded in late RA-deficient embryos
October 30, 2025 at 3:02 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature 🐭

Wnt3a plays an important role in Wolffian duct development by regulating apicobasal polarity.

By Hayashi, S., Suzuki, H., Takada, S., & Takemoto, T.
doi.org/10.1016/j.yd...
Wnt3a is required to regulate Wolffian duct cell polarity. a–h. Immunofluorescent staining of apical markers, aPKC and the Golgi apparatus (GM130), in the WT and Wnt3a-knockout mice at E9.5. The WT mice exhibited apical distribution of aPKC and GM130. In Wnt3a-knockout embryos, the Wolffian ducts exhibited heterogeneous distributions of aPKC and GM130; although apical polarity was present, it was disrupted (c, d). Both basolateral and luminal apical polarities were detected (e, f, arrows). Excessive accumulation of aPKC was detected (g, h). aPKC was distributed on both the luminal and lateral sides. Medial, left; Lateral, right. i. Rader chart of aPKC dot distribution. The angles and distances from the apical pole (cyan spots in b, d, and h) were measured in the WT and Wnt3a-knockout mice. Bifurcated ducts (f) were excluded from this analysis. j. Average distance of aPKC from the apical pole. Wnt3a-knockout embryos exhibited a dispersed aPKC distribution. k. aPKC signal intensity in the luminal and lateral area. Total signal intensity was normalized to 100 %. aPKC signal was reduced in the luminal area and elevated in the lateral area in the Wnt3a-knockout embryos. Control (Wnt3a+/+ and Wnt3a+/−), n = 6, Wnt3a−/−, n = 6 in i-k. ∗p < 0.05 (Welch’s t-tests). l-s. Laminin and E-cadherin staining of the Wolffian ducts of control and Wnt3a-knockout embryos. Laminin and E-cadherin were predominantly distributed at the basal and apical poles, respectively. In contrast, the basal laminin structure was disrupted, while apical E-cadherin was absent in the stacked duct region of Wnt3a-knockout embryos. Control (Wnt3a+/+ and Wnt3a+/−), n = 6, Wnt3a−/−, n = 6. Scale bars in a-h and l-s = 20 μm. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)
October 29, 2025 at 6:49 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature 🪳

The transcription factor Capicua maintains the oocyte polarity in the panoistic ovary of the German cockroach

"Cic interacts with Notch and EGFR pathways"

by Nashwa Elshaer, Jorge Escudero, Maria-Dolors Piulachs
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
B. germanica capicua (cic): Expression and localization
October 28, 2025 at 1:47 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature

Scientists have identified a provisional regulatory circuit downstream of the transcription factor Pax3/7 operating in the descending decussating neurons (ddNs) of the tunicate Ciona robusta.

By Kim, K., Piekarz, K. M., & Stolfi, A.
doi.org/10.1016/j.yd...
Upper panel: The descending decussating neurons (ddNs) of a Ciona larva at 19.5 h post-fertilization (hpf at 20 ◦C, ~ Hotta stage 29) labeled by expression of elecroporated Dmbx/Defcab >Unc-76::YFP reporter plasmid. Scale bar =10 μm. Right: comparative diagrams of ddNs and their putative vertebrate homologs, the Mauthner cells (species depicted as an example is Danio rerio). Lower panel: A summary diagram of a ddN gene regulatory network. Diagram for a ddN-specific gene regulatory network downstream of Pax3/7. Some branches are shared with different neuron types, such as ACINs, epidermal neurons, or papilla neurons (a sub-type of epidermal neurons). Dashed arrow indicates regulatory connection supported by RNAseq data, but not validated by reporter plasmids or in situ mRNA hybridization. Grey arrow indicates possible role of Lhx1/5 in regulating maintenance, but not initial activation of Dmbx and Defcab.
October 27, 2025 at 5:04 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature #EvoDevo

mRNA splicing variants of the transcription factor Blimp1 differentially regulate germline genes in echinoderms

"Each Blimp1 isoform has distinct functions within & between species"

by Gerardo Reyes, Nathalie Oulhen, Gary Wessel
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Sea star embryo development. Blimp1 mRNA expression localizes at the oocyte's vegetal site, similar to Vasa and Wnt, important genes for germline formation.
October 24, 2025 at 12:53 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature 🧑‍🔬

David Sherwood draws a powerful parallel between morphogenesis and a scientific career, showing how becoming a biologist is a continual process of shaping, adaptation, and growth. Like development, a scientific life unfolds through adaptation and emergence.

tinyurl.com/6yd46wcx
The author Dave Sherwood with the chicken flock that he and his wife Nina tend to in their yard in North Carolina.
October 23, 2025 at 12:42 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature Review 🪽

Feather Morphogenesis

Keratinization and cornification of avian skin appendages during development. Insights from immunolabeling and electron microscopic studies

by Lorenzo Alibardi
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Feather Morphogenesis
October 22, 2025 at 2:21 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature

Building a genetic map of limb development driven by the apical ectodermal ridge

By Lee Niswander

tinyurl.com/bdzrjsyz

#SpecialIssue on Research that Transformed #DevelopmentalBiology
Experiments highlighting importance of the apical ectodermal ridge (AER) and FGF in proximal-distal limb development. A) Histological section through the tip of chick limb bud showing the prominent ridge of ectoderm (AER; from Saunders, 1948). B, C) RNA in situ hybridization of mouse limb buds showing expression of Fgf4 and Fgf8 in the AER (Niswander unpublished). D) Limb truncations due to excision of the entire AER from chick limb buds at successively later stages (from Saunders, 1948). E) Skeletal stainings of chick embryo limbs: normal (left); truncation due to AER removal (middle); and rescue of proximal-distal growth and patterning by FGF microbeads placed at the limb tip following AER removal (right, from Niswander et al., 1993). Note that chick wing digits were conventionally labeled as digits 2, 3 and 4 but now are denoted as digits 1, 2 and 3. F) Skeletal stainings of mouse embryos: wildtype (left) and after genetic knock-out of Fgf4 and Fgf8 in the AER (right, from Sun et al., 2002). Figures reproduced with journal permission.
October 20, 2025 at 12:02 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
DBfeature 🌸

How homeotic mutants shaped the ABC model, transforming our understanding of floral patterning

By Zhongchi Liu

tinyurl.com/2tc58fbs

#SpecialIssue on Research that Transformed #DevelopmentalBiology
Summary of key aspects of the ABC model of flower development A. Illustration of the four floral organs arranged in four concentric whorls (left) based on the Arabidopsis flower (right). B. The basic tenets of the ABC model. The A, B, C genes function in three domains colored differently. Each domain consists of two adjacent whorls. The mutual repression between A and C is shown by a horizontal bar. C. An abc triple mutant flower of Arabidopsis, with no visible petals. D. In situ hybridization to show the expression domains of the A, B, and C genes. Number indicates stages; S (sepal), St (Stamen), and C (carpel) indicate primordia of different floral organ type.
October 17, 2025 at 3:36 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature

From peas to animal embryogenesis: how pioneering work in genetics shaped our understanding of development

By Abraham Fainsod and Martin Blum

tinyurl.com/5n8h423x

#SpecialIssue on Research that Transformed #DevelopmentalBiology
A schematic timeline of the major discoveries in evolution, genetics, and development. In order: "Charles Darwin The origin of species'"; drawing of four Galapagos finches. 1860 "Gregor Mendel 'Genetic Principles'"; drawing of yellow and green peas. 1900; "Mendel Rediscovery"; a black and white photograph of Gregor Mendel. "Morgan 'Chromosome theory'"; drawing of a blue chromosome with four highlights genes. 1920 "Gluecksohn-Waelsch 'mouse genetics'"; a photograph of a brown mouse. 1950 "Ed Lewis 'bithorax mutants'"; drawing of a Drosophila with two pairs of wings. "Walther Gehring 'Antennapedia mutants'"; a photograph of a Drosophila head with legs instead of antennae. 1980; "Heidelberg Mutant Screen"; a picture of a Drosophila embryo. "Homeobox"; a 3D prediction model of a DNA double-helix interacting with protein alpha-helixes.
October 16, 2025 at 2:22 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature 🐣

PRDM14 is essential for vertebrate gastrulation and safeguards avian germ cell identity by antagonising FGF-induced differentiation

By D Doddamani, D Carlson, L McTeir, L Taylor, S Nandi, M Davey, M McGrew, J Glover

tinyurl.com/2wpakkyd

#SpecialIssue on Avian Model Systems
Schematic of PRDM14 expression in Primordial Germ cells (red) in the epiblast, neural plate, and embryonic gonads of chick embryo. Schematic representation of the roles of Prdm14 in development, comparing wild type and Prdm14 KO gastrulation, respectively with and without primitive streak. In vivo, Prdm14 KO have less primordial germ cells. In vitro, Prdm14 inhibits differentiation and safeguards germ cell identity.
October 15, 2025 at 1:08 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature
Micro-CT 3D structures provide new criteria can be used to identify medullary bone and female individuals in the avian fossil record.
Crane A H @gruiformabi.bsky.social, Baldry C J, Rankin K E, Clarkin C E @clarkinbonebiol.bsky.social, Williams K A, Gostling N J @neilgostling.bsky.social
Diagram showing he differences between a healthy female bird bone with medullary bone and a pathological bird bone with avian osteoporosis. For each there is a global scan of tibiotarsi whole bone in lateral view, a micro-CT 3D cube reconstruction, and microCT cubes highlighting osteocyte lacunae. In between a box with writing "Differences include: Structural anisotropy, Connectivity density, Trabecular thickness, Osteocyte lacunae orientation".
October 14, 2025 at 1:27 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature 🐣

The chicken embryo brings new insights into the tissue specific evolutionary role of WFDC1 during amniote development

-T Metzker-Pinto, YTH Tran, I Buzzatto-Leite, L Lok, JF Sampar, HF Carvalho, G del Monte-Nieto, LE Alvares

tinyurl.com/3abhm3d5

#SpecialIssue on Avian model systems
(A–B) WFDC1 expression pattern during chicken and mouse eye development, respectively. The developmental stages are indicated at the top of each image. Sagittal (Ai) and coronal (Aii-iv, Bi-v) sections were presented. (C–E) UMAP visualization of the mouse retina cells according to their transcriptome similarities, representing the cell type (C), embryonic day (D) and WFDC1 expression level (E).
October 13, 2025 at 9:05 AM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature 🐣🫀

Proteomic analysis of chick embryonic heart in experimental hypoxia shows upregulation in anaerobic glycolysis, apoptosis-related proteins, cell adhesion proteins, and secretory activity

By David Sedmera, Eliska Drobna Krejci, Ondrej Nanka, and Adam Eckhardt

tinyurl.com/y3vdmx2s
STRING analysis of protein-protein interaction (106 proteins with significantly higher concentration in hypoxia) – divided to 7 clusters containing more than one protein. Compared to the genes downregulated in hypoxia, there are more numerous protein interactions, attesting to the activation of key pathways allowing the adaptation of the heart to hypoxic stress. The clusters are colour-coded; protein abbreviations correspond to their names
October 10, 2025 at 2:02 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature

Research facilities in the UK, France, and Japan maintaining transgenic lines for Avian developmental biology

By Lindsay Henderson, Yuya Okuzaki, Christophe Marcelle, Mike McGrew, and Ken-ichi Nishijima

tinyurl.com/4drw4d6a
#SpecialIssue on Avian model systems
Fluorescent microscopy images of transgenic chicken resources maintained at the NARF, The Roslin Institute. (A) GFP chicken embryo with a ‘red’ graft placed into the limb bud with micro-surgery. The graft is about 50–100 μM. (B) Stage 32 HH limb bud from the CSF1R-eGFP embryo. Macrophages (green) are concentrated in areas of cell death, blood vessels (red) are labelled with SNA lectin. (C) ACTN line embryo spinal cord stage 16 HH. (D) Dorsal Root Ganglion of the nervous system of a Chameleon transgenic chicken embryo. Nerves going into the dorsal root ganglion are red, and nerves coming out are green. (E) Fluorescent image of the dorsal skin (periderm) from a membrane GFP chick embryo. (F) FUCHI cell cycle reporter embryo stage 23 HH. All images were provided by members of The Roslin Institute Chicken Embryology (RICE) group.
October 10, 2025 at 11:54 AM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature 🪶

New tools bring embryonic feather bud development back to the forefront of efforts to understand vertebrate organogenesis

By Jon Riddell and Denis Headon

tinyurl.com/hzzhr5z8
#SpecialIssue on #Development and #Regeneration of ectodermal organs
(A) Schematic of embryonic chick skin, composed of an epithelial layer overlying a mesenchyme containing cells migrating within an extracellular matrix. During early stages of feather development dermal fibroblasts aggregate underneath epithelial thickenings, known as placodes, to form dermal condensates. (B) Skin explant dissected from an embryonic day 9 (E9) tdTomato transgenic embryo showing feather buds growing out and oriented towards the posterior. Scale bar 1 mm. (C) Dermal condensates form in sequential rows, originating from a dense mesenchymal stripe along the midline of the embryo. This stripe then separates into condensates, with subsequent rows emerging laterally in sequence. (D) In situ hybridisation detecting CTNNB1 expression in E8 chick skin. The red outline highlights the hexagonal arrangement of the 6 nearest-neighbour feather buds. (E) Haematoxylin and eosin stain of an E6.5 chick embryo section. The red dashed rectangle highlights the loose dermis, the green dashed rectangle highlights the dense dermis. Left panel scale bar = 200 μm, right panel scale bars = 100 μm.
October 8, 2025 at 12:55 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature 🐠🫀

Gpnmb promotes the recruitment of macrophages post cardiac cryoinjury in zebrafish, influencing immune and fibrotic responses during regeneration

-S Gupta, GK Bajwa, H El-Sammak, K Mattonet, S Günther, M Looso, D Stainier, R Marín-Juez @rmarinjuez.bsky.social

tinyurl.com/yc7hv5dn
Upper panel: Immunostaining of zebrafish ventricles at 7 dpci after cryoinjury shows fewer macrophages (mpeg1:EGFP⁺, magenta) in gpnmb⁻/⁻ ventricles compared with wild-type. DAPI staining (blue) marks nuclei (B). Quantification confirms a significant reduction in macrophage numbers within the injured border zone of gpnmb⁻/⁻ tissue (C). Lower panel: Acid Fuchsin Orange-G (AFOG) stained sections of zebrafish cryoinjured ventricles show that gpnmb⁻/⁻ ventricles develop larger collagen-rich scars than wild-type at 30 and 90 dpci (F and G). Quantification illustrates greater proportions of large scar areas in gpnmb⁻/⁻ ventricles (H), indicating impaired scar resolution and delayed cardiac regeneration.
October 7, 2025 at 3:22 PM
devbiol.bsky.social
#DBfeature

CMTM4 is an adhesion modulator that regulates skeletal patterning and primary mesenchyme cell migration in sea urchin embryos

By Abigail Descoteaux, Marko Radulovic, Dona Alburi, and Cynthia Bradham

tinyurl.com/3xvnzxuz
Microscopy images of 48hpf sea urchin embryos as skeletal birefringence images; insets show morphology of the corresponding embryo in brightfield. Control (A), CMTM4 MO-injected (B), CMTM4 mRNA-injected (C), and CMTM4 MO and mRNA co-injected (D) embryos.
October 6, 2025 at 6:53 PM