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.

New research reveals a potent weapon against Parkinson's disease

Neurodegenerative diseases damage and destroy neurons, ravaging both mental and physical health. Parkinson's disease, which affects over 10 million people worldwide, is no exception.

11 May 2022

Deficiency of YWHAZ gene alters neurodevelopmental process in zebrafish

An article published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry reveals the molecular mechanisms to explain how the YWHAZ gene –related to psychiatric and neurological disorders such as autism and schizophrenia– can alter the neurodevelopmental process.

10 May 2022

Researchers discover molecular mechanisms underlying extreme need for amino acids in neuroblastoma

Certain childhood tumors have an extreme need for amino acids. Scientists at the Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the University of Heidelberg, and HI-STEM gGmbH have now discovered the molecular mechanisms underlying this and how the cancer cells could be turned off.

28 Apr 2022

Researchers create 3D in vitro model that reveals the origins of human spine

The spinal column is the central supporting structure of the skeleton in all vertebrates. Not only does it provide a place for muscles to attach, it also protects the spinal cord and nerve roots. Defects in its development are known to cause rare hereditary diseases.

28 Apr 2022

New insights could lead to better treatments for Dravet syndrome and related conditions

Children with Dravet syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy that begins in infancy, experience seizures, usually for their entire life.

27 Apr 2022

Scientists precisely define the ‘identity card’ of pancreatic endocrine cells

The pancreas is a key metabolic regulator. When pancreatic beta cells cease producing enough insulin, blood sugar levels rise dangerously — a phenomenon known as hyperglycemia — thus triggering diabetes.

19 Apr 2022

Cell’s production of lipids can be a key factor in determining cell fate

How does a cell "decide" what type of cell to become? The question of "cell fate" has been explored for decades now, especially in the context of stem cell biology, but there are still gaps in our understanding.

15 Apr 2022

Yale researchers identify accelerated genetic aging in breast tissue adjacent to tumors

An analysis by Yale Cancer Center researchers identified accelerated genetic aging in breast tissue adjacent to breast cancer tumors.

31 Mar 2022

Non-hormonal male contraceptive effectively prevents pregnancy in mice

Women have many choices for birth control, ranging from pills to patches to intrauterine devices, and partly as a result, they bear most of the burden of preventing pregnancy.

24 Mar 2022

BGI discovery could pave the way for advances in organ regeneration and synthetic biology

In a world-first, scientists from BGI-Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and a group of partners published a study in Nature, announcing the discovery of a transgene-free, rapid, and controllable method to convert pluripotent stem-cells into bona fide 8-cell totipotent embryo-like cells, paving the way for advances in organ regeneration and synthetic biology.

22 Mar 2022

Yale researchers uncover how to control the blood-brain barrier with a molecule

The brain is composed of billions of neurons-; vulnerable cells that require a protective environment to function properly.

16 Mar 2022

Scientists map key molecular changes during mouse embryogenesis

Scientists have mapped out the key molecular changes that orchestrate how embryonic mouse cells differentiate into the diverse cell types that will ultimately form all the different tissues and organs of the adult animal.

14 Mar 2022

Intestinal cells can change specializations during their lives, finds study

Intestinal cells can change specializations during their lives. The BMP signaling pathway – an important communication mechanism between cells – appears to be the driver of these changes.

1 Mar 2022

Periconceptional maternal smoking associated with delay in embryonic development

Smoking by mothers during the period immediately before and after conception is linked to a delay in embryonic development, smaller foetuses at the time of the 20-week ultrasound scan, and lower birth weight.

23 Feb 2022

Zebrafish model reveals how early embryo cells begin to independently produce proteins

It happens in the first hours after fertilization: The cells of the early embryo begin to independently produce proteins, the building blocks for cells and organs.

16 Feb 2022

Researchers develop 3D human spinal cord implants for treating paralyzed patients

For the first time in the world, researchers from Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology at Tel Aviv University have engineered 3D human spinal cord tissues and implanted them in lab model with long-term chronic paralysis.

7 Feb 2022

Researchers identify genetic cause of rare interstitial lung disease in a young child

New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has solved the medical mystery of why a 2-year-old child — seemingly healthy at birth — succumbed to an undiagnosed, rare illness.

31 Jan 2022

Exploring the relationship between stem cells and COVID-19

Though COVID-19-related stem cell clinical research is still in its infancy, stem cell treatment offers extensive clinical application possibilities and a far-reaching relevance thanks to ongoing exploration of stem cell clinical research and data mining.

14 Jan 2022

Scientists discover a division of labor between genetic switches

Two X chromosomes are actually one too many. Female mammalian cells hence switch off one of them – but only when the cells start to specialize into tissues.

5 Jan 2022

Flawed genetic switches could be at the origin of malformations or developmental diseases

Embryonic development follows delicate stages: for everything to go well, many genes must coordinate their activity according to a very meticulous scheme and tempo. This precision mechanism sometimes fails, leading to more or less disabling malformations.

14 Dec 2021