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.
As ocean temperatures rise and marine ecosystems change, scientists are working to understand how valuable species like the American lobster will respond. New research from William & Mary's Batten School of Coastal & Marine ...
Ecology
May 16, 2026
0
23
Why can eagles soar through the skies while emus are bound to the earth? One secret lies in a skeletal structure called the keel, a blade-like ridge on the breastbone that anchors the flight muscles needed for powered flight. ...
Evolution
May 14, 2026
0
68
RIKEN researchers have determined the molecular structure of an enzyme that occurs in fish. This could shed light on molecular processes in a wide range of marine organisms. The work is published in the Journal of Biological ...
Plants & Animals
May 13, 2026
0
6
Researchers at the Technion have discovered how changes in genetic regulatory sequences can lead to alterations in the form and structure of animals—even when genetic regulatory systems are stable and resistant to change. ...
Evolution
May 13, 2026
0
25
Scientists have uncovered evidence supporting a mechanism in which transposable elements (TEs), once considered "non-functional" DNA, may have contributed to the evolution and expansion of gene regulation during neural development. ...
Evolution
May 12, 2026
0
5
Stem cells are the original cell type from which all other cells and tissues in the body develop through a very tightly regulated process. However, how stem cells differentiate in addition to gene-control systems, such as ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 12, 2026
0
10
Most of what scientists know about face development comes from studies in bony vertebrates such as mice, chickens, and zebrafish. However, their evolutionary counterparts, cartilaginous fishes, have remained largely unexplored. ...
Evolution
May 11, 2026
0
51
What are the first steps that chart the path for a cell to become a blood cell, neuron cell, or pigment cell? Scientists have developed increasingly powerful tools to track those changes, but one challenge has persisted: ...
Cell & Microbiology
May 11, 2026
0
20
We are all born completely helpless, with little of the knowledge and skills we will need to survive as adults. Even our ability to communicate is almost entirely learned from our parents or caregivers.
Plants & Animals
May 11, 2026
0
13
A new computational method could dramatically accelerate efforts to map the body's cells in space, according to a study published in Nature Genetics. Spatial multi-omics technologies—often described as ultra-high-resolution ...
Biotechnology
May 7, 2026
0
35
