Developmental biology is the branch of biological sciences that investigates the processes by which organisms grow, differentiate, and acquire their form from fertilization to adulthood and often through regeneration and aging. It integrates molecular genetics, cell biology, genomics, and systems biology to elucidate mechanisms such as cell fate specification, pattern formation, morphogenesis, and organogenesis. Developmental biology examines regulatory gene networks, signaling pathways (e.g., Wnt, Hedgehog, Notch, TGF-β), epigenetic modifications, and mechanical forces that coordinate spatial and temporal control of gene expression and cellular behavior, providing a framework for understanding congenital disorders, tissue regeneration, and evolutionary changes in body plans.
A RIKEN researcher and his colleague have identified how genes are expressed in fish embryos when they first start using their own genetic material. If the same mechanisms apply to humans, they could shed light on developmental ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 20, 2025
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18
In most developing tissues, signals called morphogens act like lighthouses, guiding nearby cells toward their fate and telling them what to become. Each cell relies on such signals for organized structures like organs and ...
Evolution
Nov 18, 2025
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24
Researchers Sumika Kato, Takeo Kubo, and Taro Fukazawa of the University of Tokyo have discovered that c1qtnf3, a secreting factor, namely a protein molecule that is secreted by a cell and influences functions of other cells, ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 17, 2025
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20
In the intricate architecture of plant tissues, beauty often emerges from chaos, according to new research from Cornell researchers. Findings from a recent study show how randomness and growth together create the striking ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 12, 2025
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35
What makes plants grow to a certain size? From the tiniest cells to whole leaves, roots, and stems, growth has to be carefully coordinated—but until now, it has been hard to compare findings from different studies.
Plants & Animals
Nov 11, 2025
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20
Most species on Earth exist as two biological sexes, and the exchange of genes between males and females is vital for their survival. Yet, what actually determines whether an individual develops into a male or female varies ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 10, 2025
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42
Scientists at the FMI and the University of California-Santa Cruz have found that similar molecular machineries control daily circadian rhythms and developmental timing. Their study with worms shows that core timing systems ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Nov 4, 2025
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Every cell in the body has the same DNA, but different cell types—such as muscle or brain cells—use different parts of it. Transcription factors help cells activate specific genes by reading certain DNA sequences, but since ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 4, 2025
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191
How do embryos develop? Why does the cortex of the mammalian brain fold? How do we feel touch at our fingertips? These and other fundamental biological questions remain unsolved. Yet, scientists know they all rely on a common ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 29, 2025
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42
The microscopic flatworm (Stenostomum brevipharyngium) is one of nature's weirder creatures. Chop off its head, and it'll grow one back. Cut it in half, and it'll become two separate healthy worms. And now scientists have ...
