Embryonic induction

Characterization of Gibbin, encoded by AHDC1, offers insights into the epidermal and mesodermal patterning phenotypes seen in Xia–Gibbs and related syndromes in humans, which derive from abnormal mesoderm maturation as a result of gene-specific DNA methylation decisions.

How invertebrates with spiral cleavage establish their body plans is unclear. Here the authors show that, like molluscs, a basal annelid uses ERK1/2 to instruct body patterning, suggesting that this is a deep ancestral trait in animal embryogenesis.

Loss-of-function analysis and RNA Sequencing shows that Mediator subunit Med23 is important for angiogenesis during mouse cardiovascular development, in part by regulating angiopoietin2, an inducing factor for vascular network instability.

In Zebrafish, the dynamics of fgf8 and other gene transcripts as well as segmentation frequency, shortening of pre-somitic mesoderm and tail growth rate slows down with lower temperature. This may explain the temperature independence of somitogenesis.

The cerebrospinal fluid-secreting choroid plexus needs a balanced level of canonical Wnt signaling. Here the authors show that if this signaling is over-activated, the choroid plexus loses its properties and function, and transforms to a neuronal identity.

Synthetic embryo models have arisen as an approach to probe early development in vitro, facilitating the study of difficult to access stages. Here the authors present a simple system for generating embryo-like structures that resemble peri-implantation mouse embryos.