Friction shapes zebrafish embryos

A simple ball of cells is the starting point for humans—and zebrafish. At the end of embryonic development, however, a fish and a human look very different. The biochemical signals at play have been studied extensively. ...

Decoding development: mRNA's role in embryo formation

A new study at Hebrew University reveals insights into mRNA regulation during embryonic development. The study sheds light on the intricate process of mRNA regulation during embryonic development, providing novel insights ...

Histones and the mystery of cell proliferation

Before cells divide, they create so much genetic material that it must be wound onto spools before the two new cells can split apart. These spools are actually proteins called histones, and they must multiply at the same ...

Sculpting the human body plan in a dish

Although Michelangelo's masterpiece "David" captured the magnificence of the human body—how exactly this exquisite body plan is established during human development has puzzled scientists for more than a century. This has ...

Embryos' signals take multiple paths

Rice University scientists have found significant differences between the methods signaling pathways use to prompt cells to differentiate – that is, whether to become organs, bone, blood vessels, nerves or skin.

Revealing how an embryo's cells sync up

Scientists have known that when a mouse embryo is developing, the cells that will become its spine and muscles switch specific genes on and off repeatedly, in a synchronous fashion. However, there are deep mysteries about ...

Recreating the earliest stages of life

In their effort to understand the very earliest stages of life and how they can go wrong, scientists are confronted with ethical issues surrounding the use of human embryos. The use of animal embryos is also subject to restrictions ...

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