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

TAD boundaries and gene activity are uncoupled

Using high-throughput single-cell imaging, this study demonstrates that Topologically Associating Domain (TAD) boundary architecture and gene activity are largely uncoupled, as TAD boundary interactions are infrequent and independent of transcriptional status, while disrupting TAD boundaries does not alter gene expression.

Almansour, F., Fursova, N. A., Keikhosravi, A., Reed, K. S. M., Larson, D. R., Pegoraro, G., Misteli, T.2026-02-25
📄 cell biology

Envelope-Limited Chromatin Sheets (ELCS) Formation in The Nuclear Envelope of HL-60/S4 Cells

This article reviews the formation and structure of Envelope-Limited Chromatin Sheets (ELCS) in retinoic acid-induced HL-60/S4 granulocytes, highlighting the critical role of increased Lamin B Receptor (LBR) synthesis and cholesterol biosynthesis in creating these flexible nuclear outgrowths, while contrasting these features with the lack of ELCS and reduced LBR in phorbol ester-induced macrophages.

Olins, A. L., Prudovsky, I., Olins, D. E.2026-02-25
📄 cell biology

A role for ETV1 and endothelial cell-derived extracellular vesicle microRNAs in priming fibroblast response to vesicle-bound FGF2

This study elucidates how endothelial cell-derived extracellular vesicles, through the transcription factor ETV1 and specific microRNAs, prime dermal fibroblasts to undergo a transcriptomic and phenotypic shift resembling FGF2-mediated cancer-associated fibroblast activation, thereby defining a key mechanism in cutaneous wound repair.

Yuan, H., Han, C., Chen, L., Ravindran, S., DiPietro, L. A.2026-02-25
📄 cell biology

Intravital single-molecule imaging reveals cytoskeletal turnover as a driver of membrane remodeling in live animals

This study introduces intravital single-molecule microscopy (iSiMM) to directly track cytoskeletal dynamics in live mice, revealing that regulated molecular turnover within pre-existing membrane infolds drives rapid membrane remodeling and cell expansion in response to physiological stimulation.

Heydecker, M., Chen, D., Masedunskas, A., Mikolaj, M., Narayan, K., Chen, J., Vishwasrao, H., Meckel, T., Hardeman, E. (…)2026-02-25
📄 cell biology

Discovery of Plasmodium falciparum SR12 as a GOLD-Domain seven transmembrane protein regulating GPCR trafficking in mammalian cells

This study identifies *Plasmodium falciparum* SR12 as a GOLD-domain seven-transmembrane protein that structurally resembles mammalian GOST proteins and functions as a chaperone to promote GPCR trafficking to the plasma membrane in mammalian cells.

Pereira, P. H. S., Ahrari, S., Kiyan, C. L., Kobayashi, H., Moraes, M., Bouvier, M., Garcia, C. R.2026-02-24
📄 cell biology

Changes in Histone Isoform Abundance and Histone Post-Translational Modifications during Anoxia Tolerance and Recovery in WS40NE cells of Austrofundulus limnaeus

This study utilizes mass spectrometry to demonstrate that the extreme anoxia tolerance of *Austrofundulus limnaeus* WS40NE cells is supported by dynamic changes in both histone post-translational modifications and histone isoform abundance during oxygen deprivation and recovery.

Hughes, C., Mojica, E. A., Kültz, D., Podrabsky, J.2026-02-24
📄 cell biology

Localised negative feedback shapes genome-wide patterning of meiotic DNA breaks

This study demonstrates that Tel1-mediated localized negative feedback, acting through Xrs2-dependent recruitment and kinase activity, reshapes the genome-wide landscape of meiotic DNA double-strand breaks by redistributing them based on innate chromosome-specific patterns, thereby influencing genetic variation.

Neale, M. J., Lopez Ruiz, L. M., Harper, J. A., Johnson, D., Allison, R. M., Gittens, W. H., Brown, G. G., Cooper, T. J. (…)2026-02-24
📄 cell biology

ER-stress signaling and Alzheimer's proteins adjust the quality of human protein synthesis

This study reveals that unlike in mice, human aging and Alzheimer's disease involve an adaptive regulation of ribosomal error rates mediated by ER-stress signaling and Alzheimer's-related proteins, highlighting translation fidelity as a critical factor in human proteostasis and neurodegeneration.

Cao, Z., Hartmann, M., Wagner, M., Schug, A., Roesler, R., Wiese, S., Yang, Q., Oswald, F., Scharffetter-Kochanek, K., I (…)2026-02-24