📄 Category

developmental biology

216 papers

Developmental biology explores the incredible journey of how a single cell transforms into a complex, living organism. This field investigates the molecular switches and cellular conversations that guide growth, tissue formation, and the emergence of unique body structures, helping us understand both the origins of life and the roots of developmental disorders.

At Gist.Science, we ensure you never miss a breakthrough by processing every new preprint in this category from bioRxiv. Our team provides both plain-language explanations and detailed technical summaries for each paper, making cutting-edge research accessible to everyone regardless of their scientific background.

Below are the latest studies in developmental biology, offering fresh insights into how life takes shape.

📄 developmental biology

Dissecting PADI6 function defines oocyte cytoplasmic lattices as regulatory hubs for fundamental cellular processes

This study utilizes single-cell transcriptomics and proteomics in mouse models to demonstrate that PADI6 is essential for cytoplasmic lattice integrity, revealing its critical scaffolding role in regulating mRNA storage, protein degradation, and translation, while uncovering novel functional links between cytoplasmic lattices and endolysosomal vesicular assemblies.

Williams, J. P. C., Auchynnikava, T., McCarthy, A., Ojarikre, O. A., Bertran, M. T., Weston, A. E., Leonce, D., Olsen, J (…)2026-01-30
📄 developmental biology

Developmental Hypoxia Increases Susceptibility to Cardiac Ventricular Arrhythmias in Adult Offspring

This study demonstrates that fetal hypoxia in rats programs adult offspring for increased susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias by inducing long-term abnormalities in excitation-contraction coupling, specifically prolonged calcium transients and reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase expression.

Lock, M. C., Smith, K. L., Swiderska, A., Baba, H., Silverwood, A., Dyba, J., Patey, O. V., Niu, Y., Ford, S. G., Steink (…)2026-01-24
📄 developmental biology

A developmental timer coordinates organism-wide microRNA transcription

This study identifies a developmental timer in *C. elegans* composed of the transcription factor MYRF-1 and the PERIOD-like repressor LIN-42, which forms a reciprocal feedback loop to synchronize heterochronic microRNA transcription across all somatic cells, thereby coordinating organism-wide tissue development with growth.

Wu, P., Wang, J., Pryor, B., Valentino, I., Ritter, D. F., Loel, K., Kinney, J., Ercan, S., Joshua-Tor, L., Hammell, C. (…)2026-01-23
📄 developmental biology

HoloBio: A Holographic Microscopy Tool for Quantitative Biological Analysis

HoloBio is an open-source, Python-based graphical user interface that provides accessible, standardized, and reproducible tools for the real-time and offline quantitative analysis of holographic microscopy data across diverse optical setups, specifically designed to facilitate label-free biological research without requiring coding expertise.

Castaneda Quintero, R. A., Mona, W., Gil-Herrera, M. J., Mazo, E., Cordoba, D., Obando, S., Lopera, M. J., Restrepo, R. (…)2026-01-22
📄 developmental biology

Retinoic acid coordinates the orderly construction of the mammalian body in the anterior-to-posterior sequence

This study demonstrates that retinoic acid signaling orchestrates the orderly anterior-to-posterior development of the mammalian body by modulating Wnt pathway activity, where its early preclusion allows T-box factors to suppress posterior fate for anterior specification, while its subsequent activation promotes the transition to posterior mesoderm.

Banerjee, A., Yallapragada, S. K., Torregrosa-Cortes, G., Vyas, B. J., Sambasivan, R.2026-01-21
📄 developmental biology

Calcium dynamics tune timing of developmental transitions to generate evolutionarily divergent axon tract lengths

This study reveals that reduced calcium influx via L-type channels prolongs the growth duration of human axons, allowing them to overcome a slower growth rate and achieve evolutionary expansion in tract length despite a delayed developmental tempo.

Lindhout, F. W., Szafranska, H. M., Guglielmi, L., Imaz-Rosshandler, I., Boulanger, J., Moarefian, M., Voitiuk, K., Zern (…)2026-01-20