Developmental Biology

Cdhr1a and pcdh15b may link photoreceptor outer segments with calyceal processes revealing a potential mechanism for cone-rod dystrophy

1. Meet K Patel
2. Warlen Pereira Piedade
3. Jakub K Famulski

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This valuable study investigates the interaction of two integral membrane proteins (Cdhr1a and Pcdh15b) and their roles in cone-rod dystrophy. Convincing evidence using loss-of-function mutants demonstrates clearly that both proteins are required for cone maintenance and survival. Although some evidence (Western blots and cell aggregation assays) demonstrates Cdhr1a and Pcdh15b can physically interact, there is insufficient evidence to support the subcellular localization and the proposed heterodimeric interaction of the two proteins from distinct subcellular compartments in cone photoreceptors.

Reviewed by eLife

Foxe1 orchestrates thyroid and lung cell lineage divergence in mouse stem cell-derived organoids

1. Barbara F. Fonseca
2. Cindy Barbée
3. Mirian Romitti
4. Sema Elif Eski
5. Pierre Gillotay
6. Daniel Monteyne
7. David Perez Morga
8. Samuel Refetoff
9. Sumeet Pal Singh
10. Sabine Costagliola

Reviewed by Review Commons

ANTIPODE Provides a Global View of Cell Type Homology and Transcriptomic Divergence in the Developing Mammalian Brain

1. Matthew T Schmitz
2. Jingwen W Ding
3. Sara Nolbrant
4. Reed McMullen
5. Chang N Kim
6. Bryan J Pavlovic
7. Tomasz J Nowakowski
8. Trygve E Bakken
9. Chun Jimmie Ye
10. Alex A Pollen

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This valuable study is an approach to integrating and comparing single-cell genomics data across species. The evidence supporting the conclusions of this work is solid, and ANTIPODE presents an updated methodological approach to determining how gene expression at the cell-type level has evolved. Thus, ANTIPODE should provide broad utility to studies of comparative neurogenomics and be of use to neuroscientists and evolutionary biologists.

Reviewed by eLife

A minimal tooth enhancer regulates dlx2b expression during zebrafish tooth formation: insights into cis-regulatory logic in organogenesis

1. William R Jackman
2. Yujin Moon
3. Carol K Cox
4. Drew R Anderson
5. Audrey A DeFusco
6. Vy M Nguyen
7. Sarah Y Liu
8. Elisabeth H Carter
9. Hana E Littleford
10. Elizabeth K Richards
11. Andrea L Jowdry
12. Yann Gibert

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study provides valuable findings in the study of enhancer biology by identifying and dissecting a minimal enhancer regulating dlx2b expression during zebrafish tooth development, supported by promoter dissection, reporter assays, and genome-editing approaches. The work offers a resource and extends previous findings but has limited broader impact, with several conclusions about general cis-regulatory principles and functional consequences remaining only partially supported. Accordingly, the strength of evidence is at present incomplete, as additional functional validation would be needed to fully substantiate some of the claims.

Reviewed by eLife

Ripply1 and Gsc collectively suppress anterior endoderm differentiation from prechordal plate progenitors

1. Tao Cheng
2. Xiang Liu
3. Yang Dong
4. Yi-Meng Tian
5. Yan-Yi Xing
6. Chen-Yi Chen
7. Cong Liu
8. Yun-Fei Li
9. Ying Huang
10. Ding-Hao Zhuo
11. Xiao Xu
12. Jing-Yun Luan
13. Xin-Xin Fu
14. Zi-Xin Jin
15. Jing Mo
16. Xiang Xu
17. Hong-Qing Liang
18. Peng-Fei Xu

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study provides a useful analysis of the changes in chromatin organization and gene expression that occur during the differentiation of two cell types (anterior endoderm and prechordal plate) from a common progenitor in zebrafish, together with investigations into the molecular factors involved. Although the findings are consistent with previous work, the evidence presented appears to be incomplete and would benefit from more rigorous quantification of live imaging and Cre-Lox experiments, a stronger rationale and controls for experiments manipulating chromatin remodeling factors, and a strong justification for the explant model especially given differences between explant and whole embryo data. This work may be of interest to zebrafish developmental biologists investigating the mechanisms underlying specification.

Reviewed by eLife, Review Commons

Desert Hedgehog mediates stem Leydig cell differentiation through Ptch2/Gli1/Sf1 signaling axis

1. Changle Zhao
2. Yongxun Chen
3. Lei Liu
4. Xiang Liu
5. Hesheng Xiao
6. Feilong Wang
7. Qin Huang
8. Xiangyan Dai
9. Wenjing Tao
10. Deshou Wang
11. Jing Wei

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study provides valuable contributions to establish canonical Dhh signaling as a primary mediator in the differentiation of Leydig cells and their steroidogenic capacity. Together, the experimental design using their established stem Leydig cell line alongside relevant genetically mutated models, both derived using the relevant Nile tilapia animal system, provided largely convincing evidence to support their conclusions. The work could benefit from a more rigorous dissection of current literature on this pathway that might better inform their conclusions. The work will be of broad interest to developmental biologists interested in differentiation of steroidogenic or hormone producing cells.

  [Editors' note: this paper was reviewed by Review Commons.]

Reviewed by eLife

An actomyosin-mediated mechanical mechanism for brain neural tube elevation

1. Juana De La O
2. Chidera Okeke
3. Gabriel L. Galea
4. Adam C. Martin

Reviewed by Review Commons

Nrf2 promotes thyroid development and hormone synthesis

1. Gillotay Pierre
2. Romitti Mirian
3. Dassy Benjamin
4. Haerlingen Benoit
5. Parakkal Shankar Meghna
6. Faria Fonseca Barbara
7. Ziros G. Panos
8. Pal Singh Sumeet
9. Sykiotis P. Gerasimos
10. Costagliola Sabine

Reviewed by Review Commons

Tug-of-war between cortical and cytoplasmic forces shaping planar 4-cell stage embryos

1. Silvia Caballero-Mancebo
2. Daniel Gonzalez Suarez
3. Janet Chenevert
4. Sameh Ben-Aicha
5. Lydia Besnardeau
6. Alex McDougall
7. Rémi Dumollard

Reviewed by preLights

Trpv4 links environmental temperature to testicular differentiation in hermaphroditic ricefield eel

1. Yang Zhi
2. Luo Tingting
3. Zhang Yimin
4. Sun Yuhua

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This study presents useful findings on the molecular mechanisms driving female-to-male sex reversal in the ricefield eel (Monopterus albus) during aging, which would be of interest to biologists studying sex determination. The manuscript describes an interesting mechanism potentially underlying sex differentiation in M. albus. However, the current data are incomplete and would benefit from more rigorous experimental approaches.

Reviewed by eLife