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 uses a novel 3D imaging method to identify the Periportal Lamellar Complex (PLC), an important new structure. Although the methodological advancement and morphological descriptions are convincing, the evidence for its proposed function is incomplete, relying on transcriptomic correlation rather than direct experimental validation. The work would therefore be strengthened by focusing its claims on the robust methodological advancement and detailed morphological characterization.

Reviewed by eLife

Superoxide Dismutases maintain niche homeostasis in stem cell populations

1. Olivia Majhi
2. Aishwarya Chhatre
3. Tanvi Chaudhary
4. Devanjan Sinha

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  In this work, the authors intend to assess the existence of a redox potential across germline stem cells and neighbouring somatic stem cells in the Drosophila testis. Some aspects of the manuscript are convincing, like the clear effect of SOD KD on cyst cell differentiation state. Other conclusions of the work, such as the non-autonomous effect of this KD on germ cells are not sufficiently supported by the data. This remains true even with the revised version of the paper, as the effect of redox state of the soma on the germline is a major point of the paper, and this remains a critical flaw. The work could be potentially useful if the critiques of the reviewers were fully addressed; the strength of the evidence of the manuscript as it stands is still inadequate. Readers should use their own judgment about the validity and meaningfulness of different findings.

Reviewed by eLife

Single-Cell Characterization of Anterior Segment Development: Cell Types, Pathways, and Signals Driving Formation of the Trabecular Meshwork and Schlemm’s Canal

1. Revathi Balasubramanian
2. Nicholas Tolman
3. Taibo Li
4. Abdul Hannan
5. Violet Bupp-Chickering
6. Karina Polanco
7. Aakriti Bhandari
8. Sally Zhou
9. Marina Simón
10. John Peregrin
11. Christa Montgomery
12. Krishnakumar Kizhatil
13. Jiang Qian
14. Simon W.M. John

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This important work advances our understanding of the development of the visual system. The data presented is compelling and provides a detailed single-cell atlas of post-natal anterior chamber development in mice, highlighting the trabecular meshwork and Schlemm's canal.

Reviewed by eLife

The livebearers platyfish and swordtails partially regenerate their hearts with persistent scarring

1. Vincent Hisler
2. Lana Rees
3. Simon Blanchoud
4. Heidi E.L. Lischer
5. Rémy Bruggmann
6. Anna Jaźwińska

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study presents important findings on how cardiac regenerative capacity diverges across species by examining heart repair in two species of livebearers, platyfish and swordtails. In contrast to zebrafish, the livebearer species show persistent scarring after cryo-injury, and the work highlights how lineage-specific anatomical and immunological traits may constrain regenerative competence. The study is compelling, the data are convincing, and the results contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying heart regeneration across vertebrates.

Reviewed by eLife

Junctional Heterogeneity Shapes Epithelial Morphospace

1. Anubhav Prakash
2. Raman Kaushik
3. Nishant Singh
4. Ankita Walvekar
5. Sradha Saji
6. Raj K Ladher

Reviewed by preLights

Genetic and physical interactions reveal overlapping and distinct contributions to meiotic double-strand break formation in C. elegans

1. Marilina Raices
2. Fabiola Balmir
3. Nicola Silva
4. Wei Li
5. McKenzie K Grundy
6. Dane K Hoffman
7. Elisabeth Altendorfer
8. Carlos Jaime Camacho
9. Kara A Bernstein
10. Monica P Colaiácovo
11. Judith L Yanowitz

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study combines genetic, cell biological, and interaction data to propose a model of meiotic double-strand break regulation in C. elegans. Solid evidence supports the main conclusions, while by nature of a screening-type study, more may be needed to solidify speculations in future studies. Yet, comprehensive cataloging of the physical and genetic interactions of factors required for meiotic double-strand break is useful information for the field.

Reviewed by eLife

Dorsoventral-mediated Shh induction is required for axolotl limb regeneration

1. Sakiya Yamamoto
2. Saya Furukawa
3. Ayaka Ohashi
4. Mayuko Hamada
5. Akira Satoh

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This fundamental work by Yamamoto and colleagues advances our understanding of how positional information is coordinated between axes during limb outgrowth and patterning. They provide convincing evidence that the dorsal-ventral axis feeds into anterior-posterior signaling, and identify the responsible molecules by combining transplantations with molecular manipulations. This work will be of broad interest to regeneration, tissue engineering, and evolutionary biologists.

Reviewed by eLife

Cell cycle-dependent cues regulate temporal patterning of the Drosophila central brain neural stem cells

1. Gonzalo N Morales Chaya
2. Mubarak Hussain Syed

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This useful manuscript reports findings indicating that cell cycle progression and cytokinesis both contribute to the transition from early to late neural stem cell fates. Although orthogonal approaches would help confirm the findings, which are based on loss-of-function, the experimental evidence is convincing. Lastly, an investigation of the underlying mechanisms linking the cell cycle to temporal factor expression is still needed.

Reviewed by eLife

LGL-1 and the RhoGAP protein PAC-1 redundantly control polarization of the C. elegans embryonic epidermal epithelium

1. Olga D. Jarosińska
2. Amalia Riga
3. Hala Zahreddine Fahs
4. Joren M. Woeltjes
5. Ruben Schmidt
6. Fathima S. Refai
7. Suma Gopinadhan
8. Kristin C. Gunsalus
9. Mike Boxem

Reviewed by Review Commons

ATAD2 mediates chromatin-bound histone chaperone turnover

1. Ariadni Liakopoulou
2. Fayçal Boussouar
3. Daniel Perazza
4. Sophie Barral
5. Emeline Lambert
6. Tao Wang
7. Florent Chuffart
8. Ekaterina Bourova-Flin
9. Charlyne Gard
10. Denis Puthier
11. Sophie Rousseaux
12. Christophe Arnoult
13. André Verdel
14. Saadi Khochbin

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This valuable study explores the role of the chromatin regulator ATAD2 in mouse spermatogenesis. The data convincingly demonstrate that ATAD2 is essential for proper chromatin remodeling in haploid spermatids, influencing gene accessibility, H3.3-mediated transcription, and histone eviction. Using Atad2 knockout (KO) mice, the authors link ATAD2 to the DNA-replication-independent incorporation of sperm-specific proteins like protamines and histone H3.3. Although the findings highlight chromatin abnormalities and impaired in vitro fertilization in KO mice, natural fertility remains unaffected, suggesting possible in vivo compensatory mechanisms. Future experiments will be needed to tease out the precise molecular role of ATAD2 in spermatogenesis. This work will be of interest to the epigenetics and developmental fields.

Reviewed by eLife