Developmental Biology

A Novel 3D Visualization Method in Mice Identifies the Periportal Lamellar Complex (PLC) as a Key Regulator of Hepatic Ductal and Neuronal Branching Morphogenesis

1. Tongtong Xu
2. Fujun Cao
3. Ruihan Zhou
4. Qin Chen
5. Jian Zhong
6. Yulin Wang
7. Chaoxin Xiao
8. Banglei Yin
9. Chong Chen
10. Chengjian Zhao

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study presents an important methodological advance-Liver-CUBIC combined with multicolor metallic nanoparticle perfusion-that enables high-resolution 3D visualization of the liver's complex multi-ductal architecture. The identification of the Periportal Lamellar Complex (PLC) as a novel perivascular structure with distinct cellular composition and low-permeability characteristics is convincing, supported by rigorous imaging data. The observed scaffolding role during fibrosis offers intriguing biological insights, though the functional claims would benefit from direct experimental validation.

Reviewed by eLife

Heterogeneity of Sonic Hedgehog response dynamics and fate specification in single neural progenitors

1. Fengzhu Xiong
2. Andrea R Tentner
3. Sandy Nandagopal
4. Tom W Hiscock
5. Peng Huang
6. Sean G Tsung-Megason

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study presents an important study of the relationship between morphogen signaling and cell fate choices in the forming zebrafish neural tube, addressing a topical question in developmental biology. The authors provide a solid characterization of the precision limit for gene regulatory networks interpreting Shh, with single-cell resolution and state-of-the-art in vivo approaches. While the depth of analysis is restricted, particularly by the number of cell traces, the study will be of interest to developmental biologists interested in cellular decision-making.

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Dual contributions of Xrp1 to genome integrity through the DNA damage response and cell competition

1. Chaitali Khan
2. Nasser M Rusan
3. Nicholas E Baker

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Rejuvenation-Responsive and Senolytic-Sensitive Muscle Stem Cells Unveiled by CD200 and CD63 in Geriatric Muscle

1. Ye Lynne Kim
2. Young-Woo Jo
3. Takwon Yoo
4. Kyusang Yoo
5. Ji-Hoon Kim
6. Myungsun Park
7. In-Wook Song
8. Hyun Kim
9. Yea-Eun Kim
10. Sang-Hyeon Hann
11. Jong-Eun Park
12. Daehyun Baek
13. Young-Yun Kong

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study provides valuable insights into aged muscle stem cell biology by revealing phenotypic and functional heterogeneity within the geriatric MuSC pool and proposing a VCam-low/negative subpopulation that may account for the reported decline in MuSC numbers with age. These findings have implications for understanding aging-related changes in stem cell maintenance and for improving strategies to isolate or rejuvenate aged MuSCs. However, the evidence supporting the main claims is incomplete, key analyses such as absolute MuSC quantification, fate assessment of VCam-low/negative cells, inclusion of standard aged cohorts, and validation of proposed surface markers are still needed to confirm that overall MuSC abundance is maintained and that a distinct subpopulation has been identified.

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The protein-tyrosine phosphatase Shp2 is essential for lymphatic endothelial cell differentiation in zebrafish

1. Daniëlle T.J. Woutersen
2. Andreas van Impel
3. Stefan Schulte-Merker
4. Jeroen den Hertog

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Transcriptional repression of central spindle factors controls endomitosis in the C. elegans intestine

1. Ramon Barrull-Mascaró
2. Sonia Veltkamp
3. Samia Boutaibi
4. Lotte M. van Rijnberk
5. Rebecca Lippmann
6. Matilde Galli

Reviewed by Review Commons

Tumors mimic the niche to inhibit neighboring stem cell differentiation

1. Yang Zhang
2. Yuejia Wang
3. Jinqiao Song
4. Lizhong Yan
5. Ziguang Wang
6. Dongze Song
7. Haojun Wang
8. Sining Yang
9. Liyuan Niu
10. Chang Sun
11. Hanning Zhang
12. Yudi Zhao
13. Shaowei Zhao

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study presents results supporting a model that tumorous germline stem cells (GSCs) in the Drosophila ovary mimic the stem cell niche and inhibit the differentiation of neighboring cells. The valuable findings show that GSC tumors often contain non-mutant cells whose differentiation is suppressed by the GSC tumorous cells. However, the evidence showing that the GSC tumors produce BMP ligands to suppress differentiation of non-mutant cells is incomplete due to concerns about the new HCR data.

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Chromatin priming and Hunchback recruitment integrate spatial and temporal cues in Drosophila neuroblasts

1. Ayanthi Bhattacharya
2. Hemalatha Rao
3. Sonia Q Sen

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  The study provides an important advance towards understanding how spatial and temporal transcriptional programs are integrated to regulate lineage-specific chromatin and enhancer activation. The functional evidence is currently incomplete, but the current data provide a solid correlative and conceptual foundation. Functional experiments directly linking Gsb occupancy to chromatin state and regulation of some lineage-specific targets would further strengthen the causal interpretation of the model. Clarifying the scope of conclusions and explicitly acknowledging the technical limitations of current chromatin assays would provide a more balanced interpretation of the manuscript.

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Wnt/β-catenin is required for proprioception by coordinating the multi-compartment development of muscle spindles

1. Qingyuan Guo
2. Ava Gatterer
3. Avital Rosner
4. Sharon Krief
5. Fabian S. Passini
6. Ron Rotkopf
7. Noa Wigoda
8. Michael Tsoory
9. Bavat Bornstein
10. Elazar Zelzer

Reviewed by Review Commons

A quantitative in vivo CRISPR-imaging platform identifies regulators of hyperplastic and hypertrophic adipose morphology in zebrafish

1. Rebecca Wafer
2. Panna Tandon
3. James EN Minchin

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  In this manuscript, Wafer and Tandon et al. present a thoughtful and well-designed genetic screen for regulators of adipose remodeling using zebrafish as a model system. This work is valuable because it uncovers several genes associated with adipose tissue hyperplastic hypertrophic morphology and diet-induced remodelingthe hat have considerable potential health impact. The rigorous phenotypic analyses and compelling evidence make this work a key resource for the field.

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