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 new study, led by the University of Vienna and the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven, shows how the eyes of adult marine bristleworms continue to grow throughout life—driven by a ring of neural stem cells reminiscent ...
Evolution
Dec 1, 2025
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28
Scientists have discovered a method of helping human stem cells thrive in an animal embryo—a key development in efforts to grow human organs in animals for medical transplants.
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 25, 2025
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252
Researchers have uncovered how successful chromosome segregation during sexual reproduction is achieved in plants. The discovery, by scientists led by the University of Leicester, could be beneficial for both plant breeding ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 21, 2025
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20
Only two weeks after fertilization, the first sign of the formation of the three axes of the human body (head/tail, ventral/dorsal, and right/left) begins to appear. At this stage, known as gastrulation, a flat and featureless ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 20, 2025
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43
After fertilization, embryos race through rapid cell divisions before slowing down to build specialized cells that will carry out distinct functions in the developing body—but the signals that trigger this shift have remained ...
Cell & Microbiology
Nov 20, 2025
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23
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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