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.
An international study of infant remains from 50,000–75,000 years ago has provided new evidence about the developmental trajectory of our evolutionary "cousins," Neanderthals.
Evolution
Jun 17, 2026
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77
For decades, biologists assumed a cell's energy simply diffused to wherever it was needed. It turns out the most important destination of all has a private delivery line.
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 10, 2026
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67
People communicate with each other, sometimes face to face, sometimes with a text message or phone call. Cells also communicate with each other, sometimes by touching and sometimes by sending signals across space and time. ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 10, 2026
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11
A team led by Raju Tomer, professor of biological sciences at Columbia University, has created a new design for microscopes and microscope lenses that could push 3D tissue imaging beyond state-of-the-art systems while drastically ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 9, 2026
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57
A study, published in the journal Development, is the first to precisely map endogenous UTY occupancy across the human genome and demonstrate that UTY remains functionally involved in transcriptional regulation during early ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 8, 2026
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115
Imagine a train parked at the station. Passengers climb aboard and find their seats. Conductors move up and down the aisles, checking tickets. But there's a problem—the engineer's watch is broken. As a result, the doors never ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Jun 7, 2026
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97
Young guppies who were able to see and interact with live fish developed larger brains than guppies who only saw other fish on a screen. This is shown in a new study from Stockholm University, published in Biology Letters. ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 3, 2026
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21
Embryonic development is one of the most dynamic biological processes in nature. Cells and tissues organize and reorganize themselves following incredibly precise patterns, while remaining flexible and robust. Scientists ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 2, 2026
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10
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) have discovered a microscopic organism that can transform into a cannibalistic "supergiant" that drastically changes size, shape, and behavior, and abandons filter-feeding ...
Ecology
Jun 2, 2026
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141
Canadian scientists have made a significant advance in understanding the mechanisms that enable embryos to properly form their limbs, thanks to new research led by Université de Montréal medical professor Marie Kmita at the ...
Cell & Microbiology
Jun 2, 2026
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8
