46 posts · 22,757 views
the Node is a community blog for and by developmental biologists.
Eva Amsen
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Linda
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Natascha Bushati
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Erin Campbell
15 posts
Ret Mutant
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the Node
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- January 10, 2012
- 03:28 PM
- 100 views
Shaggy hairs and stem cells
by Erin Campbell in the Node
Our intestinal tissue doesn’t need a New Year’s resolution to keep up its amazing productivity. Our intestinal epithelium is replenished at breakneck speed in an assembly line that begins with stem cells. Today’s image is from a recent Development paper that discusses the importance of Notch signaling in stem cell self-renewal and intestinal homeostasis. Our [...]... Read more »
VanDussen, K., Carulli, A., Keeley, T., Patel, S., Puthoff, B., Magness, S., Tran, I., Maillard, I., Siebel, C., Kolterud, A.... (2011) Notch signaling modulates proliferation and differentiation of intestinal crypt base columnar stem cells. Development, 139(3), 488-497. DOI: 10.1242/dev.070763
- December 20, 2011
- 07:07 AM
- 198 views
Eye-ing the body electric
How do you make an eye? One early trigger for eye formation in Xenopus, as a new Development paper from Michael Levin’s lab shows, is a small change in bioelectric signals. In fact, that trigger alone is enough to induce eye development in other parts of the body. In an experiment that measured regions of [...]... Read more »
Pai, V., Aw, S., Shomrat, T., Lemire, J., & Levin, M. (2011) Transmembrane voltage potential controls embryonic eye patterning in Xenopus laevis. Development. DOI: 10.1242/dev.073759
- December 7, 2011
- 02:50 PM
- 163 views
Repulsive signals: bad breath, rude manners, and ephrin ligands
by Erin Campbell in the Node
Satellite cells are muscle stem cells that regenerate injured muscle (remember this earlier post?). They are highly motile cells that may be able to travel in order to repair injured muscle far away, and a recent paper in Development describes the role of Eph/ephrin signaling in satellite cell motility and patterning. One of the most [...]... Read more »
Stark, D., Karvas, R., Siegel, A., & Cornelison, D. (2011) Eph/ephrin interactions modulate muscle satellite cell motility and patterning. Development, 138(24), 5279-5289. DOI: 10.1242/dev.068411
- December 2, 2011
- 11:07 PM
- 161 views
Senescent cell rejuvenation – you(r cells) are never too old for pluripotency!
by Sasha Terashima in the Node
In 2007, a group let by Takahashi and Yamanaka from Kyoto University successfully generated pluripotent cells from human adult fibroblasts. They were able to induce a pluripotent state in differentiated cells by introducing four transcription factors, OCT4, SOX2, c-MYC, and KLF4 by retroviral infection, hence the name “induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).” Although the [...]... Read more »
Lapasset L, Milhavet O, Prieur A, Besnard E, Babled A, Aït-Hamou N, Leschik J, Pellestor F, Ramirez JM, De Vos J.... (2011) Rejuvenating senescent and centenarian human cells by reprogramming through the pluripotent state. Genes , 25(21), 2248-53. PMID: 22056670
- November 22, 2011
- 08:34 PM
- 262 views
Spatial range of a morphogen gradient
by stas in the Node
Estimating the range of a morphogen gradient Morphogen gradient, defined as a concentration field of a chemical factor that acts as a dose-dependent regulator of cell differentiation, is an established concept in developmental biology. However, morphogen gradients in real systems are difficult to measure and mechanisms by which they control patterns of cell fates are [...]... Read more »
Kanodia, J., Kim, Y., Tomer, R., Khan, Z., Chung, K., Storey, J., Lu, H., Keller, P., & Shvartsman, S. (2011) A computational statistics approach for estimating the spatial range of morphogen gradients. Development, 138(22), 4867-4874. DOI: 10.1242/dev.071571
- November 9, 2011
- 09:38 PM
- 315 views
Hair follicle stem cells – the hairy truth
by Erin Campbell in the Node
Next time you curse your hair for your bad hair day, consider thanking it instead. The hair follicle has populations of stem cells that aid in skin regeneration after injury, and a recent Development paper unravels a new role for the transcription factor Lhx2 in this process. Populations of epithelial stem cells in hair follicles [...]... Read more »
Mardaryev, A., Meier, N., Poterlowicz, K., Sharov, A., Sharova, T., Ahmed, M., Rapisarda, V., Lewis, C., Fessing, M., Ruenger, T.... (2011) Lhx2 differentially regulates Sox9, Tcf4 and Lgr5 in hair follicle stem cells to promote epidermal regeneration after injury. Development, 138(22), 4843-4852. DOI: 10.1242/dev.070284
- October 12, 2011
- 09:00 AM
- 361 views
Aging stem cells
by Erin Campbell in the Node
There are so many factors for a stem cell to consider when deciding cell fates. A recent paper from Development discusses how the age of a stem cell can affect its future. Neurons and glial cells are two major cell types in the nervous system, and both come from the many divisions of neural stem [...]... Read more »
Flici, H., Erkosar, B., Komonyi, O., Karatas, O., Laneve, P., & Giangrande, A. (2011) Gcm/Glide-dependent conversion into glia depends on neural stem cell age, but not on division, triggering a chromatin signature that is conserved in vertebrate glia. Development, 138(19), 4167-4178. DOI: 10.1242/dev.070391
- October 3, 2011
- 07:30 AM
- 421 views
Today’s Nobel Prize is not immune to developmental biology
This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has just been announced, and the winners are Bruce Beutler (The Scripps Research Institute), Jules Hoffmann (University of Strasbourg) and Ralph Steinman (Rockefeller University), for their research on the immune system. Steinman discovered dendritic cells, while Beutler and Hoffmann studied the genetics behind immunity. At first glance, [...]... Read more »
LEMAITRE, B., NICOLAS, E., MICHAUT, L., REICHHART, J., & HOFFMANN, J. (1996) The Dorsoventral Regulatory Gene Cassette Controls the Potent Antifungal Response in Drosophila Adults. Cell, 86(6), 973-983. DOI: 10.1016/S0092-8674(00)80172-5
Siggs, O., Arnold, C., Huber, C., Pirie, E., Xia, Y., Lin, P., Nemazee, D., & Beutler, B. (2011) The P4-type ATPase ATP11C is essential for B lymphopoiesis in adult bone marrow. Nature Immunology, 12(5), 434-440. DOI: 10.1038/ni.2012
- September 8, 2011
- 09:45 AM
- 466 views
Satellite cells muscle their way into the stem cell spotlight
by Erin Campbell in the Node
Researchers have long known about regeneration of injured muscles, and have debated about the exact source of the muscle stem cells that perform this amazing feat. A group of papers in a recent issue of Development shine a stem cell spotlight on satellite cells. Following injury, skeletal muscles are regenerated by muscle stem cells, but [...]... Read more »
Lepper, C., Partridge, T., & Fan, C. (2011) An absolute requirement for Pax7-positive satellite cells in acute injury-induced skeletal muscle regeneration. Development, 138(17), 3639-3646. DOI: 10.1242/dev.067595
- September 8, 2011
- 02:27 AM
- 498 views
Optical clearing with Scale
by Paul O'Neill in the Node
Transparency. A desirable virtue in many walks of life, and a particularly useful trait in developmental biology. Model organisms that are see-through offer unique advantages, especially when it comes to detailed 3D imaging. A new report in Nature Neuroscience offers a potential advance in this area. Researchers from Japan have stumbled upon a novel aqueous [...]... Read more »
Hama, H., Kurokawa, H., Kawano, H., Ando, R., Shimogori, T., Noda, H., Fukami, K., Sakaue-Sawano, A., & Miyawaki, A. (2011) Scale: a chemical approach for fluorescence imaging and reconstruction of transparent mouse brain. Nature Neuroscience. DOI: 10.1038/nn.2928
- September 7, 2011
- 10:35 AM
- 462 views
Turtles in a nutshell
by Bruno Vellutini in the Node
Turtles are peculiar vertebrates. They have a compact skull with no temporal openings, a beak instead of teeth, a contractible neck, and a shell covering its trunk. The famous turtle shell is composed of two halves, a plastron (ventral) and a carapace (dorsal). The latter is an exquisite arrangement of vertebrae and fan-shaped ribs with [...]... Read more »
Kuratani, S., Kuraku, S., & Nagashima, H. (2011) Evolutionary developmental perspective for the origin of turtles: the folding theory for the shell based on the developmental nature of the carapacial ridge. Evolution , 13(1), 1-14. DOI: 10.1111/j.1525-142X.2010.00451.x
Nagashima, H., Sugahara, F., Takechi, M., Ericsson, R., Kawashima-Ohya, Y., Narita, Y., & Kuratani, S. (2009) Evolution of the Turtle Body Plan by the Folding and Creation of New Muscle Connections. Science, 325(5937), 193-196. DOI: 10.1126/science.1173826
Nagashima, H., Kuraku, S., Uchida, K., Ohya, Y., Narita, Y., & Kuratani, S. (2007) On the carapacial ridge in turtle embryos: its developmental origin, function and the chelonian body plan. Development, 134(12), 2219-2226. DOI: 10.1242/dev.002618
Li, C., Wu, X., Rieppel, O., Wang, L., & Zhao, L. (2008) An ancestral turtle from the Late Triassic of southwestern China. Nature, 456(7221), 497-501. DOI: 10.1038/nature07533
Reisz, R., & Head, J. (2008) Palaeontology: Turtle origins out to sea. Nature, 456(7221), 450-451. DOI: 10.1038/456450a
- August 15, 2011
- 03:59 PM
- 198 views
Embryonic stem cells – keeping a clean slate
by Erin Campbell in the Node
Do your ears perk up when you hear about embryonic stem cells? We all have heard and/or participated in the controversy surrounding the use of them, yet there is no debate over their biological importance and medical potential. A paper in Journal of Cell Science describes the newly-indentified role for Banf1 in ESC self-renewal. Embryonic [...]... Read more »
Cox JL, Mallanna SK, Ormsbee BD, Desler M, Wiebe MS, & Rizzino A. (2011) Banf1 is required to maintain the self-renewal of both mouse and human embryonic stem cells. Journal of cell science, 124(Pt 15), 2654-65. PMID: 21750191
- August 9, 2011
- 02:06 PM
- 471 views
Waves of early transcriptional activation and pluripotency program initiation during human preimplantation development
by izpisuabelmonte in the Node
Since I was an undergraduate student at the Veterinary School in Milan, and throughout the rest of my scientific career, I have been fascinated with the complexities of mammalian preimplantation development. That’s why the publication of our recent paper “Waves of early transcriptional activation and pluripotency program initiation during human preimplantation development” feels like the [...]... Read more »
Vassena, R., Boue, S., Gonzalez-Roca, E., Aran, B., Auer, H., Veiga, A., & Belmonte, J. (2011) Waves of early transcriptional activation and pluripotency program initiation during human preimplantation development. Development, 138(17), 3699-3709. DOI: 10.1242/dev.064741
- July 28, 2011
- 02:11 AM
- 262 views
Live imaging of stem cell maintenance, loss, and renewal in the Drosophila testis
by becca in the Node
Stem cells have often been imaged live in culture, but very few stem cell systems are conducive to live imaging within their native tissues. An essential property of adult stem cells that they are maintained at specific anatomical locations called niches. The interactions between stem cells and their niche are crucial, but are often disrupted [...]... Read more »
Sheng, X., & Matunis, E. (2011) Live imaging of the Drosophila spermatogonial stem cell niche reveals novel mechanisms regulating germline stem cell output. Development, 138(16), 3367-3376. DOI: 10.1242/dev.065797
- July 14, 2011
- 07:10 AM
- 486 views
Sperm stem cells and that trusty old friend Wnt
by Erin Campbell in the Node
Sperm stem cells have a lot riding on their success. Not only must they produce the actual sperm, but they must maintain a life-long supply. So, the self-renewal of spermatogonial stem cells is a finely-tuned talent of these stem cells. A recent paper in the Journal of Cell Science describes the role of Wnt signaling [...]... Read more »
Yeh JR, Zhang X, & Nagano MC. (2011) Wnt5a is a cell-extrinsic factor that supports self-renewal of mouse spermatogonial stem cells. Journal of cell science, 124(Pt 14), 2357-66. PMID: 21693582
- July 13, 2011
- 04:55 AM
- 333 views
Muscular forces shape bone circumference
by Elazar Zelzer in the Node
The massive cow femur I keep on a shelf right in front of me in my office clearly demonstrates that the shaft of a long bone is anything but a straight, smooth, symmetric tube. It is unevenly flattened and covered with ridges and grooves, bulges and depressions. This extremely intricate topography matches perfectly with adjacent [...]... Read more »
Amnon Sharir, Tomer Stern, Chagai Rot, Ron Shahar, & Elazar Zelzer. (2011) Muscle force regulates bone shaping for optimal load-bearing capacity during embryogenesis. Development, 138(15), 3247-3259. info:/10.1242/dev.063768
Kahn, J., Shwartz, Y., Blitz, E., Krief, S., Sharir, A., Breitel, D., Rattenbach, R., Relaix, F., Maire, P., & Rountree, R. (2009) Muscle Contraction Is Necessary to Maintain Joint Progenitor Cell Fate. Developmental Cell, 16(5), 734-743. DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2009.04.013
Blitz E, Viukov S, Sharir A, Shwartz Y, Galloway JL, Pryce BA, Johnson RL, Tabin CJ, Schweitzer R, & Zelzer E. (2009) Bone ridge patterning during musculoskeletal assembly is mediated through SCX regulation of Bmp4 at the tendon-skeleton junction. Developmental cell, 17(6), 861-73. PMID: 20059955
- June 20, 2011
- 09:00 AM
- 342 views
X in Space (Now in 3D)
by Ret Mutant in the Node
The 3D spatial arrangement of DNA within the nucleus is tightly controlled and has great functional significance. Each chromosome has been shown to occupy a defined nuclear territory and the expression of genes is often closely linked to where they are located, with similar expression levels seen for genes with similar locations. It has also been shown that disrupting localisation affects gene regulation.
... Read more »
Splinter E, de Wit E, Nora EP, Klous P, van de Werken HJ, Zhu Y, Kaaij LJ, van Ijcken W, Gribnau J, Heard E.... (2011) The inactive X chromosome adopts a unique three-dimensional conformation that is dependent on Xist RNA. Genes . PMID: 21690198
- June 9, 2011
- 07:37 AM
- 437 views
Embryonic development informs adult heart repair
After a heart attack, heart muscle is irreparably damaged, but a paper in Nature now reports that adult mouse hearts have a source of progenitor cells that can form new muscle cells after heart injury. A few years ago, studies showed that embryonic epicardial progenitor cells contribute to the cardiomyocyte lineage in developing mouse hearts. [...]... Read more »
Nicola Smart, Sveva Bollini, Karina N. Dubé, Joaquim M. Vieira, Bin Zhou, Sean Davidson, Derek Yellon, Johannes Riegler, Anthony N. Price, Mark F. Lythgoe.... (2011) De novo cardiomyocytes from within the activated adult heart after injury. Nature. info:/10.1038/nature10188
Nicola Smart, Catherine A. Risebro, Athalie A. D. Melville, Kelvin Moses, Robert J. Schwartz, Kenneth R. Chien, & Paul R. Riley. (2007) Thymosin beta4 induces adult epicardial progenitor mobilization and neovascularization. Nature, 177-182. info:/10.1038/nature05383
Cai CL, Martin JC, Sun Y, Cui L, Wang L, Ouyang K, Yang L, Bu L, Liang X, Zhang X.... (2008) A myocardial lineage derives from Tbx18 epicardial cells. Nature, 454(7200), 104-8. PMID: 18480752
Zhou B, Ma Q, Rajagopal S, Wu SM, Domian I, Rivera-Feliciano J, Jiang D, von Gise A, Ikeda S, Chien KR.... (2008) Epicardial progenitors contribute to the cardiomyocyte lineage in the developing heart. Nature, 454(7200), 109-13. PMID: 18568026
- May 12, 2011
- 07:33 AM
- 413 views
Imaging stem cells in the Drosophila ovary
by lucy6660 in the Node
To accompany our paper “Long-term live imaging provides new insight into stem cell regulation and germline-soma coordination in the Drosophila ovary” I have been asked by staff at the Node to discuss the path we took when developing a successful imaging protocol. Germline follicle formation in the Drosophila ovary is a very dynamic process – [...]... Read more »
Morris, L., & Spradling, A. (2011) Long-term live imaging provides new insight into stem cell regulation and germline-soma coordination in the Drosophila ovary. Development, 138(11), 2207-2215. DOI: 10.1242/dev.065508
- May 11, 2011
- 01:10 PM
- 380 views
When F-actin dynamics and Hippo signalling activity meet to regulate tissue growth.
by Florence Janody in the Node
Genetic screens in flies brought me by chance to have a look at one of the basic apparatus of the cell: the actin cytoskeleton. At that time, I remembered my cell biology courses at University and since the actin cytoskeleton was not one of the hot spot, I though it was just a machinery required [...]... Read more »
Fernandez, B., Gaspar, P., Bras-Pereira, C., Jezowska, B., Rebelo, S., & Janody, F. (2011) Actin-Capping Protein and the Hippo pathway regulate F-actin and tissue growth in Drosophila. Development. DOI: 10.1242/dev.063545
Sansores-Garcia, L., Bossuyt, W., Wada, K., Yonemura, S., Tao, C., Sasaki, H., & Halder, G. (2011) Modulating F-actin organization induces organ growth by affecting the Hippo pathway. The EMBO Journal. DOI: 10.1038/emboj.2011.157
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