Fig. 2. Characterization of bone fragments A. Representative H&E stained section of bone fragment showing abundant adipocytes in the bone marrow next to mineralized bone with osteocytes. Bar = 100 μm. B. Representative histological slides of BGLAP (Bone Gamma-Carboxyglutamate Protein) immunoreactivity in human bone samples. The black arrows point out the presence of lining osteoblasts expressing BGLAP. Bar = 50 μm.

Federica Quacquarelli et al. highlight the relevance of ex vivo human cellular models to examine paracrine interactions between osteoblasts and adipocytes and confirmed the role played by adipocyte-secreted factors in osteoblast transdifferentiation: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diff.2026.100947

Fig. 1. Creation of three new embryonic mouse PTA-based population averages and matching atlases. (A) Sagittal view of E12.5 population average created from 11 wild type embryos at a voxel size of 7 μm3, (B) E15.5 population average created from 32 wild type embryos at voxel size of 14 μm3, (C) E17.5 population average created from 22 wild type embryos at voxel size of 14 μm3 which was resized to 28 μm3. (D–F) Corresponding atlases at (D) E12.5 with 43 labels, at (E) E15.5 with 47 labels and at (F) E17.5 with 46 labels. Only a subset of labels are shown for illustrative purposes. Scale bar = 2 mm.

“Comprehensive defect detection in mouse embryos and the heart by combining automated phenotyping with novel population averages and atlases,” by Ella M. M. A. Martin et al. Read the open access article to learn more: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diff.2026.100936

Fig. 3. Her9 mutants display pigmentation defects. A-B′) Lateral (A-B) and dorsal (A′-B′) views of melanophore patterning in WT/heterozygous and her9 mutant larvae at 6 dpf. Black arrowheads, dorsal stripe; green arrowheads, lateral stripe; blue arrowheads, ventral stripe; red arrowheads, yolk stripe; SB, swim bladder. C-D) H&E staining of WT/heterozygous and her9 mutant retina at 7 dpf; the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) is indicated with a white arrow. E-F′) Xanothophore (xan) and iridophore (ir) patterning in WT/heterozygous and her9 mutant larvae. Her9 mutants have reduced abundance of iridiphores (asterisks) and greater spread of xanthophores (yellow) than WT or heterozygous siblings. G-I′) Dorsal view of iridiphores and melanophores on the heads of WT/heterozygous and her9 mutant larvae.

Cagney E. Coomer et al. found Her9 is required for the migration, differentiation, and survival of neural crest cells. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diff.2026.100935

"Type H vessels in osteogenesis, homeostasis, and related disorders," by Xiaoru Qin et al. Fig. 1. Vascular distributions in long bones. Type H vessels are located in the metaphysis and along the periosteal and endosteal surface, whereas type L vessels are located in the diaphysis's bone marrow cavity. Secretion of PDGFA, PDGFB, TGF-β1, TGF-β3, and FGF1 from type H ECs is significantly higher than that from type L ECs. More RUNX2+ and OSX+ osteoprogenitors and osteoblasts surround type H vessels.

Explore the special collection of papers on osteo biology—highlighting research and reviews from differentiation to regeneration—curated by Editors-in-Chief Loydie Jerome-Majewska, Crystal Rogers, and Rosa Uribe: https://www.sciencedirect.com/special-issue/10DXVD79TL0

Jessica Cristina Marín-Llera et al. explored the role of CEK8 (Ephrin-A4) in early tendon differentiation in the chicken limb and its interaction with WNT/β-catenin and TGF-β pathways during tendon blastema formation. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diff.2026.100932

Advance research in cell differentiation, stem cells, and cancer biology.

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Fig. 9. Immunofluorescence staining for MyoD at passage 15th, Scale bar: 100 μm. (A) Cells stained with MyoD (Red fluorescence); (B) Cells stained with DAPI; (C) Merged (MyoD & DAPI).

“Development and proteome characterization of a new muscle cell line from Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758),” by Vijay Lakshmi Sahoo et al. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diff.2026.100934

Call for Papers! Submit to the Splicing in Development and Disease special issue

Deadline extended: Submit your research on splicing in development and disease to the Differentiation special issue led by Guest Editors Natoya Peart and Karine Choquet by June 30, 2026. Learn more: www.sciencedirect.com/special-issue/322731/spl...

Fig. 3. Histological analysis of TMJ in fetal mice from the experimental and control groups at postnatal weeks 1–3 using H&E and Masson's trichrome staining.

Findings from Chuanqing Mao et al. suggest that vismodegib disrupts TMJ development by inhibiting the Ihh-PTHrP signaling pathway, thereby altering angiogenesis in the condyle and ultimately impairing cartilage growth and structural integrity. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diff.2026.100933

Take your research abroad with support from ISD! Apply for a 2026 ISD Researcher Travel Award and receive up to $1,000 toward travel and registration.

The deadline for Round 1 applications is approaching. Submit your application by Feb 28: https://bit.ly/4gp0go3

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Are you ready to share your science with the world? ISD Travel Awards provide financial support to help members present their work in cell and developmental biology at major scientific meetings.

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The deadline is Feb 28.

Fig. 1. Conservation of zinc finger domains of Osr1 and Osr2 in vertebrates. (A) Amino acid sequence alignment of Osr1 using MafftWS sequence alignment reveals high conservation of the zinc finger binding domains. B) Amino acid sequence alignment of Osr2 using MafftWS sequence alignment reveals high conservation of zinc fingers 1–3 in all species. Zinc fingers 4 and 5 are only conserved in chick, mouse, and humans. Zinc finger domains 1–3 and 4–5 are indicated by red and purple bars, respectively, shown above the amino acid sequence of interest. OSR2B, the alternatively spliced protein product has only been identified in mammals and was therefore omitted from the protein conservation analysis. Conservation is depicted below the corresponding amino acid sequence.

“Odd-skipped family members have conserved roles in segmentation, appendage, excretory system and gut development in bilaterian animals,” by Vasikar Murugapoopathy et al. Read the open access Perspectives article in Differentiation: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diff.2025.100930

Fig. 1. Illustration of the triad system in tissue engineering, representing the interaction between cell types, scaffolds, and external factors.

Review article: Siti Nurnasihah Md Hashim et al. explored how chemical and mechanical microenvironments cooperate to guide epithelial commitment across both conventional 2D and advanced 3D culture models. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diff.2026.100931

New to Differentiation: Explore the curated collection of 11 articles highlighting the latest key advancements and discoveries in osteo biology—from 2023 to present: https://www.sciencedirect.com/special-issue/10DXVD79TL0

Parth Aphale, Himanshu Shekhar, and Shashank Dokania provide a critical appraisal of “Osteocyte-like differentiation of osteosarcoma by inorganic phosphate,” by Suzuki et al. (Differentiation, 2025, 146:100912). Read the letter to the editor to learn more: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diff.2025.100915

Deadline approaching: Submit to the forthcoming Differentiation special issue, “Splicing in Development and Disease,” by December 30, 2025! Learn more about the scope, guest editors, and benefits of publishing in a special issue: https://bit.ly/4o6TAxW

Fig. 2. Dermal bone mineralization was not generally accelerated in fam20b−/− embryos.

“fam20b-dependent proteoglycans do not affect dermal bone formation and fin regeneration, but Bmp signalling promotes fin regenerate outgrowth,” by Elham Koosha et al. Read the open access article in Differentiation to learn more: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diff.2025.100914

Screenshot of presentation titled "Enteric neural crest development in Astyanax mexicanus surface fish and cavefish"

Thank you, everyone, who joined the latest “Biological Differentiation Across the Scales” virtual seminar last week with Pavani P. Perera from Misty Riddle’s lab at @unevadareno.bsky.social. Couldn’t attend the live seminar? The recording is now available online! Watch now: https://bit.ly/4oIeT9k 🐟

Biological Differentiation Across the Scales • November 14, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. Central • Register Now

TOMORROW: Join the Editors-in-Chief of Differentiation at 12:00 p.m. Central for a free virtual seminar with Pavani P. Perera. Registration closes 30 minutes before the event: https://bit.ly/4oaU71P
Article: https://bit.ly/478UZhu

Please join us on Friday November 14th for: Differentiation Across Scales, "Enteric neural crest development in Astyanax mexicanus surface fish and cavefish.” Our presenter will be Pavani Ponnimbaduge Perera from Misty Riddle’s lab. It’s free to register!
my.isdifferentiation.org/ISD/Events/E...

Fig. 2. According to the traditional concept of mesenchyme, during embryonic development, mesenchymal-like tissues form through EMT from epithelial-shaped tissues in two major steps at the early stages of gastrulation. Specifically, the primary mesenchyme originates from the epiblast to form mesoderm and primitive endoderm; this process is regarded as the prototype of EMT. Subsequently, the mesoderm reverts to an epithelial morphology to generate transient embryonic structures, including somites, which then undergo a further round of EMT to generate secondary mesenchyme. Secondary mesenchyme is considered the embryonic connective tissue and provides the precursors of the connective tissues of the adult body.

Mirco Galiè summarizes studies that support the hypothesis that the partially or fully mesenchymal phenotype might represent a general paradigm of stem cell plasticity underlying embryonic development, regenerative potential, as well as their pathological counterparts: https://bit.ly/3JADAW0

Interested in development? Cave fish? Enteric nervous system? Pretty pictures? Please join us next Friday! We are looking forward to the talk! 🤩

Biological Differentiation Across the Scales • November 14, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. Central • Register Now

One week left to register! Join the Editors-in-Chief of Differentiation on November 14 at 12:00 p.m. Central for a virtual seminar with Pavani P. Perera on the enteric nervous system, evolution, and cave fish. Register for free: https://bit.ly/4oaU71P
Topic: https://bit.ly/478UZhu

September/October cover of Differentiation. Fluorescence micrograph of Drosophila melanogaster testis tip. Merged testis image displays DAPI (yellow), anti-Mettl3 (cyan) and anti-Vasa (magenta) stains. Nuclear DAPI stain in combination with antibody against m6A methyltransferase Mettl3 and germline marker Vasa, indicates localization pattern of methyltransferase in cells of the apical tip during spermatogenesis.

Call for papers: Are you studying the role of splicing in development and how disruption of these processes leads to disease? Submit your manuscript to the “Splicing in Development and Disease” special issue by December 30, 2025! Learn more: https://bit.ly/4o6TAxW

Fig. 3. The most effective MSC exosomes-derived microRNAs applied for therapeutic approaches.

Review article: “Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering potential of mesenchymal stem cells exosomes-derived microRNAs,” by Navidreza Shayan et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diff.2025.100911

Just announced: Join the Editors-in-Chief of Differentiation and Pavani P. Perera for the upcoming "Biological Differentiation Across the Scales" virtual seminar on November 14, at 12–1:30 p.m. Central!

Topic: https://bit.ly/478UZhu

Register for free: https://bit.ly/4oaU71P

Fig. 3. Effects of OPG on localization of CD44, CD47, DC-STAMP, ATP6V0D2 and Connexin43 in fusing OCs and precursors. From "Exploring the impact of osteoprotegerin on osteoclast and precursor fusion: Mechanisms and modulation by ATP," by Yunwen Peng et al.

NEW: The Editors-in-Chief of Differentiation, @rogerslabucd.bsky.social, @uribelab.bsky.social, and Loydie Jerome-Majewska, have curated a special collection of papers, “Osteo biology: from differentiation to regeneration.” Explore the collection: https://bit.ly/3JlXEey

Fig. 6. WNT5b mediates the Pi-induced suppression of OS cells migration. (A) Transwell assay was performed to evaluate the migration ability of NOS-10 (5 days) and SJSA-1 (10 days) cells with knock-down of WNT5b by siRNAs treated with osteogenic supplement medium. The analyses were performed at 24 h after seeding the cells into the culture inserts (n = 4). Scale bar = 500 μm.

Yuya Suzuki et al. evaluated the ability of two types of Pi (i.e., disodium phosphate [Na2HPO4] and monosodium phosphate [NaH2PO4]) to promote the osteogenic differentiation of osteosarcoma cells. Learn more: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diff.2025.100912

Fig. 7. Atg13 knockdown in vivo enhanced the role of sirolimus in alleviating bone loss in OVX mice. OVX-operated female mice were treated with sirolimus (10 mg/kg, orally, 5 times/week) along with Cont-shRNA-AAVs or Atg13-shRNA-AAVs (5 × 1010 PFU/mL, marrow-cavity injection) for 45 days. (A) Representative 3D micro-CT reconstructed images of the tibiae from each group. Scale bar, 1 mm. (B) Representative H&E-stained tibial sections from each group. Scale bar, 20 μm. (C) LC3-puncta formation in bone marrow RANK+ CSF1R+ cells sorted by FACS was evaluated via immunofluorescence staining. Representative images of LC3 puncta, including single and merged fluorescence, were obtained under a fluorescent microscope. Scale bar, 25 μm.

“Inhibition of Atg13-mediated autophagy enhances the anti-osteoclastogenic effect of sirolimus by counteracting its pro-autophagic activity,” by Tingwei Gao et al.: doi.org/10.1016/j.di...

Call for Papers! Submit to the Splicing in Development and Disease special issue! Submission deadline: December 30, 2025. Guest editors: Natoya Peart and Karine Choquet This special issue will address and highlight current understanding and gaps in knowledge about the role of splicing both constitutive and alternative in the development and how disruption of these processes leads to disease.

📢 Deadline extended: Submit to the "Splicing in Development and Disease" special issue by December 30, 2025!

Guest editors: Natoya Peart and Karine Choquet

Learn more and submit: www.sciencedirect.com/special-issue/322731/spl...