How synaptogenic signals trigger the targeted delivery of synaptic material is a fundamental question in neuroscience. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Balseiro-Gomez et al. identify a mechanism through which local synatogenic pathways control synaptic cargo delivery.

Although it is understood that myriad proteins function in cells within biomolecular condensates, it is unclear how protein condensation is altered in human disease. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Banani et al. show that mutations in disease-associated proteins may map to phase-separation-prone regions and thereby alter condensate formation.

In a recent issue of Cell, Yang et al. utilize evolvable cellular barcodes to investigate the evolutionary trajectories of murine lung adenocarcinoma. Reconstructing the life histories of these tumors based on cellular barcodes reveals stringent selection and phenotypic differences across subclonal lineages.

Mechanical forces exerted on neural crest cells control their collective migration and differentiation. This perspective discusses our current understanding of neural crest mechanotransduction during cell migration and differentiation. Additionally, we describe proteins that have mechanosensitive functions in other systems, such as mechanosensitive G-protein-coupled receptors, mechanosensitive ion

Autonomic nerves innervate the lungs, but how these nerves guide lung development remains unclear. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Zhang et al. reveal that myofibroblasts and developing nerves cross-communicate through neurotrophins and neurotransmitters to drive alveologenesi—and that planar cell polarity signaling is critical to this process.

Mechanical stimuli have profound effects on the structure and function of various cells and tissues. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Tao et al. report that mechanosensory ion channels mediate the effects of cell membrane guidance cues on the morphogenesis of neuronal dendrites.

During meiosis, microtubules emanate from the centrosome to cluster telomeres in the bouquet configuration and facilitate chromosome pairing. In a recent issue of Science, Mytlis et al. establish that a cilium in zebrafish anchors the centrosome and is important for telomere clustering and germ cell development.

Epidermis can grow its surface by activating mitotic division in basal stem cells. In a recent issue of Nature, Chan et al. (2022) show that under high demand for new skin, differentiated epidermal cells in zebrafish divide without DNA synthesis, forming cells in the new surface with reduced and abnormal genomes.

In a recent issue of Nature, Zuin et al. (2022) integrate a transcriptional enhancer into various genomic locations surrounding a reporter gene promoter in order to determine how enhancer-promoter proximity affects gene expression. Their findings suggest a non-linear relationship, which the authors explain via a quantitative biophysical model with intriguing biological implications.

In various placental mammals, the bidirectional exchange of cells during pregnancy can lead to the acquisition of genetically unique cells that can persist in both mother and child for decades. Over the years, it has become increasingly clear that this phenomenon, termed fetomaternal microchimerism may play key roles in a number of biological processes. In this perspective, we explore the concept of

Embryonic cells of the early mouse embryo become hypersensitive to apoptotic stimuli before gastrulation. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Pernaute et al. show that this switch in sensitivity is a result of a change in mitochondrial dynamics and mitophagy levels controlled by DRP1, a regulator of mitochondrial fission.

Macrophages are exceptionally invasive cells. In a recent article in Science, Akhmanova et al. describe a novel mechanism facilitating macrophage infiltration into a tightly packed tissue in Drosophila embryos. Ectodermal cell rounding and division enhance macrophage entry by detaching the dividing cells from the underlying extracellular matrix.

Complex dynamic processes such as development involve the deployment of gene regulatory pathways that transform the spatial arrangement of cells. Disentangling these genetic programs is at the core of many biological problems. Stereo-seq is a promising spatial transcriptomics method, as demonstrated by three papers in this issue of Developmental Cell, each in a distinct biological context.

Anosmia, or loss of smell, is strongly associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans, but the underlying mechanism remains obscure. In a recent Cell study, Zazhytska et al. (2022) report non-cell-autonomous disruption of long-range genomic interactions of olfactory receptor genes in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and these interactions remain disrupted long after virus clearance.