Cell biology is the study of life at its most fundamental unit: the cell. This field explores how these microscopic building blocks function, communicate, and replicate to sustain living organisms, from the simplest bacteria to complex human tissues. By understanding the machinery inside a cell, scientists unlock secrets about growth, disease, and the very nature of existence itself.

At Gist.Science, we track every new preprint uploaded to bioRxiv within this dynamic category. Our team processes each submission to provide both accessible plain-language explanations and detailed technical summaries, ensuring you can grasp complex discoveries without getting lost in dense jargon. Below are the latest papers in cell biology, offering a fresh look at the inner workings of life as they are shared with the world.

Comparative profiling of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 isoforms reveals vincamine as a selective carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1b inhibitor

This study establishes a robust DTNB-based high-throughput screening platform for comparative profiling of CPT1 isoforms, leading to the identification of vincamine as a selective CPT1b inhibitor and confirming chlorpromazine's activity against both CPT1a and CPT1b.

Wong, A., Luo, W., Xuan, J., Gupta, H., Li, M., Natraj, A., Madullapalli, S., Tao, H., Wahng, C., Balan, M., Wu, M., Chen, Z.2026-05-27📄 cell biology

Activating adaptor-like sequences in pericentrin mediate its transport by dynein

This study reveals that the centrosomal protein PCNT contains intrinsic adaptor-like sequences within residues 1393–1525 that directly bind and activate the dynein motor for its co-translational transport to the centrosome, challenging the notion that dynein always requires separate adaptor proteins to engage its cargoes.

Zhang, W., Sangster, A. G., Nguyen, T. T., Melancon, S., Shiu, J.-L., Huang, T. H., Iragavarapu, A. G., Jiang, X., Mia, J., Aydin, H., Moses, A. M., Jao, L.-E.2026-05-25📄 cell biology

Investigating the axoneme CCDC40 protein reveals new insights in trypanosome morphogenesis and division

This study demonstrates that depleting the axonemal protein CCDC40 in *Trypanosoma brucei* disrupts axoneme structure and motility, leading to significantly shorter flagella and cells, yet surprisingly allows the parasites to grow and divide normally, thereby revealing distinct mechanisms governing trypanosome morphogenesis versus cell division.

Girard-Blanc, C., Blisnick, T., Louvel, V., Guichard, P., HAMEL, V., BASTIN, P.2026-05-24📄 cell biology

Disruption of sphingolipid metabolism promotes tau seeding through endolysosomal membrane rigidification and rupture

This study demonstrates that disrupting sphingolipid metabolism rigidifies and ruptures endolysosomal membranes, thereby facilitating tau seed escape and propagation, a process that can be mitigated by restoring membrane fluidity through unsaturated fatty acid supplementation.

Tittelmeier, J., Sandhof, C. A., Martin, N., El-Kabarity, D., Ngonza-Nito, S.-B., Melki, R., Nussbaum-Krammer, C.2026-05-22📄 cell biology

SurpHer: a genetically encoded ratiometric sensor for dynamic extracellular pH imaging

The authors developed SurpHer, a genetically encoded, ratiometric biosensor that enables real-time, dynamic imaging of extracellular pH gradients at the surface of individual living cells, particularly for studying tumor microenvironments.

Cens Holste, S., Dos Santos, L., Charan, M. R., Nyhegn-Eriksen, O., Crouigneau, R., Kragelund, B. B., Marie, R., Sandelin, A., Auxillos, J. Y., Pedersen, S. F.2026-05-21📄 cell biology

Single-disc optical visualization in photoreceptors uncovers protein architecture and compartmentalized pathology

By employing iterative ultrastructure expansion microscopy (iU-ExM) to achieve 12 nm effective resolution, this study reveals the previously inaccessible molecular architecture of individual photoreceptor discs, demonstrating that rhodopsin occupies 92% of the disc radial extent and uncovering compartmentalized pathology in retinitis pigmentosa where disc spacing increases while centriolar structures remain preserved.

Mortal, S., Perez-Parets, E., Planaguma, J., Loza-Alvarez, P.2026-05-21📄 cell biology

High basal autophagic activity in the brain revealed by systemic quantitative analysis using GFP-LC3-RFP mice

Using newly developed GFP-LC3-RFP reporter mice, this study reveals that the brain exhibits unexpectedly high basal autophagic flux compared to other adult tissues, providing a mechanistic explanation for the severe neurological phenotypes associated with autophagy gene mutations.

Kanda, Y., Eguchi, T., Morishita, H., Hama, Y., Abe, M., Sakimura, K., Mizushima, N.2026-05-21📄 cell biology