developmental-biology

Male rats that were exposed to the widely used plasticizer di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) during early development exhibited increased anxiety behavior as adults, according to a study being presented Saturday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

A newly discovered genetic clock acts as the body’s developmental timekeeper, coordinating the bursts of gene activity needed for growth. Scientists found that when this clock breaks down, development comes to a halt. Think about a train sitting at a station. Passengers have boarded, conductors are checking tickets, and everything is ready to go. But [...]

Nature Communications, Published online: 13 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74320-5 Spatial and single-cell transcriptomics of patient-derived brain organoids reveal disrupted progenitor–neuron organization and local neuronal disarray, implicating spatially mosaic pathogenesis in autism heterogeneity.

Nature Communications, Published online: 13 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74401-5 Paganos et al provide evidence suggesting that sea stars may share ancient ovarian cell types and signaling systems with mammals, offering new clues to how egg development and reproductive regulation evolved across animals.

New research in Applied Research in Quality of Life indicates that being perceived as unattractive during adolescence predicts a shorter lifespan. Interestingly, this increased mortality risk appears to affect women.

Nature Communications, Published online: 13 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-74074-0 Researchers use evolutionary game theory and human embryoids to show that competitive cell killing, though costly to individual cells, is a strategic behavior to maintain embryo size — suggesting competition underpins embryonic cooperation.

A new study may have revealed a crucial cog in the biological machinery that spins...

Mutations in human LIS1 cause lissencephaly, a severe developmental brain malformation. Although most studies focus on development, LIS1 is also expressed in adult mouse tissues. We previously induced LIS1 knock-out (iKO) in adult mice using a Cre-Lox approach with an actin promoter driving CreERT2 expression. This proved to be rapidly lethal, with evidence pointing toward […]

Inside the egg, the chick can see nothing. It is folded tight against the shell, blind and deaf for most of its development, sealed off from the desert glare and the colony’s racket. And yet, somehow, in the final days before it breaks out, it is listening. A fast, high, stuttering song presses through the shell, repeated over and over by the parent crouched on top of New! Sign up for our email n…

Nature Communications, Published online: 12 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-73856-w Here they show that PAR3 promotes bile canaliculus elongation and hepatocyte maturation by restricting ERK/MAPK signaling, linking liver architecture formation with functional maturation during development and regeneration.

Evolutionary transitions to diurnality are often associated with specialized ocular morphology, such as pits (foveae) in the retina. Foveae are required for high visual acuity and are found primarily in diurnal vertebrate taxa, including lizards. Geckos have undergone repeated evolutionary transitions between nocturnality and diurnality. Aristelliger is a nocturnal lineage embedded within a large…

When grandparents help raise their grandchildren, who decides how much care to provide? A new study tracking thousands of older couples reveals that the grandmother's physical and mental health ultimately dictates the caregiving schedule for both partners.

Kidney transplantation remains the most effective treatment for end-stage kidney disease, yet a severe shortage of donor organs continues to limit access for millions of patients worldwide.

Developing an understanding of each child and not comparing them is the most effective way to raise twins to get along and learn to talk to one another.

Data from animal studies point to a troubling possibility: Caffeine may alter brain development.

Nature Cell Biology, Published online: 11 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41556-026-01993-x This Perspective highlights the use of current proteomics technologies in defining stage-specific reprogramming events to understand reproductive ageing, improve oocyte quality, and refine the outcomes of assisted reproductive technology (ART).

BackgroundMenarche is a key developmental milestone for adolescent girls, yet in many Muslim-majority rural settings it occurs within strong norms of modesty and silence. Although prior research has identified gaps in menstrual knowledge and hygiene, limited evidence explains how Islamic modesty norms and mother–daughter communication jointly influence menstrual readiness during the early transit…

To better understand what drives the emergence of symptoms in Rett syndrome, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI) at Texas Children's Hospital took a closer look at brain cells in mice modeling Rett syndrome before symptoms appeared.