Embryonic Development News and Research

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Embryonic development or embryogenesis is the process by which the embryo is formed and develops. It starts with the fertilization of the ovum, egg, which, after fertilization, is then called a zygote. The zygote undergoes rapid mitotic divisions, the formation of two exact genetic replicates of the original cell, with no significant growth (a process known as cleavage) and cellular differentiation, leading to development of an embryo.

Scientists identify protein that pulls the brake on nerve growth

During embryonic development, nerve cells form thin, long extensions, which they use to wire up a complex network, the brain. Scientists from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Bonn have now identified a protein that regulates the growth of these extensions by pulling a brake.

31 Oct 2019

Study links common chemical to rare birth defect in mice

A chemical commonly used in consumer and agricultural products to boost the effectiveness of insecticides has been linked to a rare birth defect in mice.

23 Oct 2019

Researchers uncover earlier origin of the neural crest in chick embryos

Neural crest cells -- embryonic cells in vertebrates that travel throughout the body and generate many cell types -- have been thought to originate in the ectoderm, the outermost of the three germ layers formed in the earliest stages of embryonic development.

22 Oct 2019

Researchers elucidate properties of blood factor involved in weight loss and aging

Aging is a process that affects all functions of the human body, particularly brain function. However, aging can be delayed through lifestyle changes (physical exercise, restricting calorie intake, etc.).

22 Oct 2019

Rice system helps bioscientists learn how ectoderm cells begin to differentiate

During embryonic development, the entire nervous system, the skin and the sensory organs emerge from a single sheet of cells known as the ectoderm. While there have been extensive studies of how this sheet forms all these derivatives, it hasn't been possible to study the process in humans - until now.

17 Oct 2019

SOX9 broadly modifies the severity of Alagille syndrome liver disease in mice

Alagille syndrome is a rare pediatric genetic disorder that can affect the liver, heart, kidneys, blood vessels, skeleton and other tissues.

11 Oct 2019

Histone modifications play important role in 'zygotic genome activation'

Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology observed changes to the gene-regulating factors during zebrafish development and discovered that modifications to "histone H3", one of the proteins around which DNA is bound, play an important role in "zygotic genome activation" or transition of control of zebrafish embryonic development from maternal material to the zygote .

8 Oct 2019

Newly discovered molecular process could speed up recovery from nerve injuries

Twenty million Americans suffer from peripheral nerve injuries, which can be caused by traumas such as combat wounds and motorcycle crashes as well as medical disorders including diabetes.

3 Oct 2019

Leukemia drug appears to be effective in treating deadly pediatric brain tumor

A drug used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia appears to be more effective at stopping a type of medulloblastoma in mouse models than existing treatments for the deadly pediatric brain tumor, reports a multi-institutional team led by researchers at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego.

21 Sep 2019

Study provides new insight into how cells maintain their identity

In the body's cells, some proteins are of vital importance as to which genes are active or turned off. Now, researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center have discovered which proteins are necessary in order to maintain the proper genetic regulation.

20 Sep 2019

Scientists pinpoint cause of fatal genetic disorder in children

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis appear to have solved a decades-long mystery regarding the precise biochemical pathway leading to a fatal genetic disorder in children that results in seizures, developmental regression and death, usually around age 3.

17 Sep 2019

Cure for Rett Syndrome a step closer as scientists successfully reactivate 'back-up’ genes

A team headed by Vincent Pasque at his Lab at KU Leuven alongside researchers from the Jean-Christophe Marine lab and the Edith Heard lab have made a significant step towards developing a treatment for Rett syndrome and other X chromosome linked disorders.

17 Sep 2019

Forbidden fruit: Scientists venture into “embryoid” manufacturing

After working on stem cells for several years, scientists have now announced that they have found a way to synthesize structures that look like very primitive human embryos. While some hailed the discovery, others questioned the ethical basis of manufacturing synthetic humans.

12 Sep 2019

Study reshapes the understanding of telomerase's function in normal cells

New research from the University of Maryland and the National Institutes of Health reveals a new role for the enzyme telomerase.

3 Sep 2019

Research team discovers gene critical for human eye, brain and limb development

An international collaboration led by a team at Oxford Brookes University has identified an important new gene which could open up new doors for research and developing new therapies.

21 Aug 2019

Protein present in telomeres shows global action on genome which influences pleuripotency

Pluripotent cells can give rise to all cells of the body, a power that researchers are eager to control because it opens the door to regenerative medicine and organ culture for transplants.

21 Aug 2019

Scientists identify group of proteins for repair of nerve fibers

Scientists at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases have identified a group of proteins that help to regenerate damaged nerve cells. Their findings are reported in the journal Neuron.

7 Aug 2019

Study forms basis for therapeutic strategies to combat cancers caused by HMGA1a

The researchers led by Professor Raphael Stoll therefore expect their results to form a basis for future therapeutic strategies to combat cancers caused by HMGA1a.

30 Jul 2019

Mechanical forces regulate cellular behavior during embryonic development of the brain

A new study coordinated by the Research Group in Developmental Biology at UPF shows that during the embryonic development of the brain, the cells that are between adjacent segments detect the mechanical forces generated during morphogenesis to regulate the balance between progenitor stem cells and differentiated neurons.

29 Jul 2019

Folic acid supplementation mitigates risk of neural tube defects linked to HIV drug

Dolutegravir is a preferred medication for treating HIV infection, but it recently has been linked to a 6- to 9-fold increase in the risk for neural tube defects among babies born to mothers receiving the drug during early gestation.

24 Jul 2019