Calling all microscopy enthusiasts!

We love #zebrafish too!

Calling all microscopy enthusiasts!

THAP1 is a maternal effect factor required for the first cell cycle via Rrm1 in early mouse embryos - EMBO Reports Maternal effect genes (MEGs) produce factors that accumulate in oocytes and play critical roles in embryo development. Mutations of MEGs are frequently linked to reproductive and congenital disorders....

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Classification of RNA biosensors by function, mechanism, delivery, and cellular context

#DBfeature #DBreview

Potentials of RNA biosensors in developmental biology

by Ehsan Pashay Ahi, Mehran Khorshid
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

This would be so cool!

orthogene
bioconductor.org/packages/rel...

Map your genes of interest across >700 species
Can do many:many

bioRxiv 2026
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Three-dimensional quantitative tissue clearing reveals differences in osteovascular niche of aged and young human mesenchymal stromal cells Nature Biomedical Engineering, Published online: 17 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41551-026-01645-3A tissue-clearing protocol integrated with mRNA and protein detection is applied to human bone to reveal quantitative differences in osteo-sinusoidal niches of human young and aged mesenchymal stromal cells.

Three-dimensional quantitative tissue clearing reveals differences in osteovascular niche of aged and young human mesenchymal stromal cells

We love #zebrafish too!

Fig. 1. Early expression of TgBAC(ankrd1a:EGFP) transgene in the border zone CMs. Hearts of TgBAC(ankrd1a:EGFP);Tg(−0.8myl7:nls-DsRedExpress) (n = 4) were cryoinjured and left to recover for 6 and 15 h. White dashed line outlines the ventricle. Scale bars, 200 μm.

Fig. 6. Persistent TgBAC(ankrd1a:EGFP) expression in CMs adjacent to the residual scar. Hearts (n = 4) of TgBAC(ankrd1a:EGFP);Tg(−0.8myl7:nls-DsRedExpress) zebrafish were cryoinjured and analyzed at 30 dpci, showing different levels of scar resolution (least (A) to most (D) regenerated). The whole hearts after dissection were imaged by fluorescence microscopy (A-D). Serial sections were used for AFOG staining (bright-field images on panels А'-D′) and fluorescence imaging by confocal microscopy (А"-D″). In the indicated region of injury on panels A'-D′, collagen is stained blue, fibrin is stained orange, and CMs are stained brown. Scale bar, 100 μm.

An interesting paper from the Kojic lab shows that ankrd1a - a stress responsive gene is consistently unregulated near damaged site in the ❤️ in zebrafish. Loss of ankrd1a leads to an increase in dedifferentiating cells. Check it out here:
doi.org/10.1016/j.cd...

🗓️Key dates:
Early-bird deadline – 8 May 2026
Abstract deadline – 12 June 2026
Final registration deadline – 24 July 2026

🎤An amazing line up of speakers and organised by some of your fav dev bio scientist ;)

@wellcometrust.bsky.social @bsdb.bsky.social @biologists.bsky.social

‼️The registration for the Development Journal Meeting 2026 - Human Development: Stem Cells, Models, Embryos is now open. This year marks a collaboration between @dev-journal.bsky.social and the Human Developmental Biology Initiative consortium.
www.biologists.com/meetings/dev...

Early bird registration deadline is 8th of May 2026!!

🗓️Key dates:
Early-bird deadline – 8 May 2026
Abstract deadline – 12 June 2026
Final registration deadline – 24 July 2026

🎤An amazing line up of speakers and organised by some of your fav dev bio scientist ;)

@wellcometrust.bsky.social @bsdb.bsky.social @biologists.bsky.social

‼️The registration for the Development Journal Meeting 2026 - Human Development: Stem Cells, Models, Embryos is now open. This year marks a collaboration between @dev-journal.bsky.social and the Human Developmental Biology Initiative consortium.
www.biologists.com/meetings/dev...

Screenshot of a journal editorial webpage titled “Development’s 2025 Outstanding Paper Prize,” dated 8 April 2026. Authors listed are James Briscoe, Alex Eve, and Steve Wilson. The page introduces the Outstanding Paper Prize, includes article information, a DOI link, and text recognising papers published in Development in 2025.

Congratulations to Xi Yang, Yun Zhou & co for winning our 2025 Outstanding Paper Prize. Their paper addresses broad & long-standing questions about how cells become new stem cell populations in the fern Ceratopteris.

Read the Editorial: doi.org/10.1242/dev....
Paper: doi.org/10.1242/dev....

‼️Calling all researchers‼️
We are in the process of preparing for the 2029 ISDB conference in India, and we want to hear from you, especially ECRs in the field. Help us design an inclusive and scientifically exciting event by completing this survey by April 13: forms.office.com/e/w1qbNF6KvL
Thank you

Do take this survey and let us know your thoughts!

We want to hear from you. Help us design an inclusive event for everyone by filling in this short form that won't take you more than a few minutes.

‼️Calling all researchers‼️
We are in the process of preparing for the 2029 ISDB conference in India, and we want to hear from you, especially ECRs in the field. Help us design an inclusive and scientifically exciting event by completing this survey by April 13: forms.office.com/e/w1qbNF6KvL
Thank you

✨ This Xenopus 🐸 tadpole came to #FluorescenceFriday serving eye-conic energy 👀
Stage 39 eye stained with a whole rainbow: 💙 DAPI | ❤️ Acetylated tubulin | 💚 RPE | 🩵 Rhodopsin | 💜 Pax6. 📸 Image from Jian Sun.

An interesting paper from the lab of Edgar Krötzsch showing the potential contribution of tissue-resident macrophages in the regeneration of punched holes in mouse's ear. Depleting macrophages with clodronate liposomes reduced regeneration and induced cartilage formation.
doi.org/10.1016/j.cd...

This is pretty cool!! Congratulations to all authors.

IL-22 from enteroendocrine cells promotes early-life gut motility in zebrafish through the microbiota The gut microbiota, immune system, and enteric nervous system interact to regulate adult gut physiology. However, the mechanisms establishing gut physiology during development remain unknown. We repor...

Very happy to share this study from our group and colleagues now out in Science!
We found that in zebrafish, before the immune system is mature, gut epithelial cells perform immune functions by producing the cytokine IL-22 to shape the microbiota to promote early life gut function
#Zebrafish #Gut

Open Call for Associate Editor of our official journal Cells and Development @cellsdev.bsky.social.
Our current group of Associate Editors:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Be our Associate Editor!! It's fun 💃

Open Call for Associate Editor of our official journal Cells and Development @cellsdev.bsky.social.
Our current group of Associate Editors:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

That's crazy! 🫨🫨🫨

Proposed model of TBK1 function in Smed. Injection of a DNA-containing transfection mix activates TBK1 via a general wound response program and likely via nucleic acid sensors. Upon activation, TBK1 induces a transcriptional response and antagonizes its own inhibition by promoting release of Rapunzel proteins.

Planarian innate immunity blocks transgene expression

This Research Highlight showcases work by Leonard Drees @auricle1.bsky.social, Jochen Rink and colleagues at @mpi-nat.bsky.social.

journals.biologists.com/dev/article/...

And it’s a wrap… the end of an era and what an era it was at igc and @gimminstitute.bsky.social. @pdncambridge.bsky.social and @gurdoninstitute.bsky.social here I come. Brace yourselves 😉!