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.

📄 cell biology

Profiling cell proliferation after whole-genome duplication in human cells

Using live-imaging of over 150 HCT116 cell lineages, this study reveals that multipolar chromosome segregation in early mitosis is the primary factor limiting post-whole-genome duplication proliferation, with successful lineages either mitigating this risk in one sub-lineage or surviving despite early multipolar events.

Yang, G., Inoko, M., Ogura, K., Ishida-Ishihara, S., Tsukada, Y., Funahashi, A., Sato, M., Uehara, R.2026-03-13
📄 cell biology

Lipid metabolism of hepatocyte-like cells supports intestinal tumor growth in Drosophila

This study reveals that gut tumors in *Drosophila* secrete Pvf1 to activate the TORC1-Hnf4 signaling pathway in distal hepatocyte-like oenocytes, reprogramming their lipid metabolism to produce specific fatty acids that fuel tracheal growth and tumor progression, a mechanism conserved in mammals that offers potential therapeutic targets for cancer-associated metabolic disorders.

Huang, K., Miao, T., Sanford, J., Chen, Y., Moon, S. J., Dantas, E., Han, M., Hu, Y., Wang, K., Goncalves, M., Perrimon (…)2026-03-12
📄 cell biology

Utilization of Cell-penetrating Peptide Adaptors to Enhance Delivery of Variably Charged Protein Cargos

This study demonstrates that while intrinsic internalization of positively charged protein cargos is charge-dependent and limited by surface saturation, the efficacy of calcium-dependent cell-penetrating peptide adaptors varies significantly based on cargo charge, with specific adaptor designs capable of overcoming these limits or inhibiting uptake depending on their own electrostatic properties.

Morris, D. P., Turner, N. I., Croffie, J. J., McMurry, J. L.2026-03-12
📄 cell biology

Synergistic Inhibition of Notch Signaling and Forced Cell Cycle Re-entry Drive Müller Glia Reprogramming in Uninjured Mouse Retina

This study demonstrates that synergistically inhibiting Notch signaling via Rbpj deletion and forcing Müller glia cell cycle re-entry through cyclin D1 overexpression and p27Kip1 suppression effectively drives the reprogramming of uninjured mouse Müller glia into long-surviving, subtype-specific retinal neurons.

Liao, B., Lyu, C., Jiang, Y., Liu, S., Wong, W., Zhang, J., Tsang, H., Xie, J., Chen, L., Zhang, Q., Xiong, W.2026-03-12
📄 cell biology

WITHDRAWN: Clonal Hematopoiesis Associated with TP53 and DNMT3A Mutations Promotes Tissue Repair in Acute Cardiovascular Diseases

This study reveals that clonal hematopoiesis driven by *TP53* mutations promotes tissue repair in acute cardiovascular diseases by enhancing the pro-angiogenic and phagocytic capabilities of mutant macrophages through suppressed E2F signaling and increased VEGF expression.

Pan, Y., Meng, X., Wang, C., Zhou, W., Zhou, Q., Chi, J., Barrier, B., Martinez-Lemus, L., Li, D.-P., Liu, Z., Kang, X.2026-03-11
📄 cell biology

SUMO mediates the coordinate regulation of meiotic chromosome length and crossover rate

This study demonstrates that SUMO regulates meiotic chromosome architecture by inversely controlling chromatin loop size and axis length, thereby directly influencing crossover frequency and explaining physiological variations in recombination rates across sexes and species.

Yun, Y., Qiao, H., White, M., Sandhu, S., Qiu, W., Bourne, S., Deshpande, A., Bhatt, S., Sharma, A., Bailey, L., Tran, H (…)2026-03-11