Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1) is a chemokine secreted by Leydig cells and peritubular myoid cells in the rat testis. Its role in regulating the development of Leydig cells via autocrine and paracrine is still unclear. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of MCP-1 on Leydig cell regeneration from stem cells in vivo and on Leydig cell development in vitro. Intratesticular

Masculinizer (Masc) plays a pivotal role in male sex determination in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Masc is required for male-specific splicing of B. mori doublesex (Bmdsx) transcripts. The male isoform of Bmdsx (BmdsxM) induces male differentiation in somatic cells, while females express the female isoform of Bmdsx (BmdsxF), which promotes female differentiation in somatic cells. Our previous findings

The morphogenesis of the shell field is an essential step of molluscan shell formation, which exhibits both conserved features and interlineage variations. As one major gastropod lineage, the patellogastropods show different characters in its shell field morphogenesis compared to other gastropods (e.g., the pulmonate gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis), likely related to its epibolic gastrulation. The investigation

p120 catenin (p120ctn) is an important component in the cadherin-catenin cell adhesion complex because it stabilizes cadherin-mediated intercellular junctions. Outside these junctions, p120ctn is actively involved in the regulation of small GTPases of the Rho family, in actomyosin dynamics and in transcription regulation. We and others reported that loss of p120ctn in mouse embryos results in an embryonic

Before metamorphosis, almost all anuran tadpoles are omnivores. Larval carnivory occurs in some species and, it is associated with distinctive morphotypes. Obligatory carnivorous tadpoles exhibit structural changes in the gastrointestinal tract compared to larvae that are predominately omnivores. The most distinctive feature of the anuran family Ceratophyridae (three genera) overall is the enormous

Changes in transcellular bioelectrical patterns are known to play important roles during developmental and regenerative processes. The Drosophila follicular epithelium has proven to be an appropriate model system for studying the mechanisms by which bioelectrical signals emerge and act. Fluorescent indicator dyes in combination with various inhibitors of ion-transport mechanisms have been used to investigate

Hazels (Corylus spp.) are economically important nut-producing species in which ovule development determines seed plumpness, one of the key parameters reflecting nut quality. microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in RNA silencing and the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. However, very little is currently known regarding the miRNAs involved in regulating ovule growth and development

Archipelago (Ago) is a Drosophila homolog of mammalian F-box and WD repeat domain-containing 7 (FBW7, also known as FBXW7). In previous studies, FBW7 has been addressed as a tumor suppressor mediating ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis of several oncogenic proteins. Ubiquitination is a type of protein modification that directs protein for degradation as well as sorting. The level of beta-catenin (β-cat)

Scaffold proteins support a variety of key processes during animal development. Mutant mouse for the MAGUK protein Discs large 5 (Dlg5) presents a general growth impairment and moderate morphogenetic defects. Here, we generated null mutants for Drosophila Dlg5 and show that it owns similar functions in growth and epithelial architecture. Dlg5 is required for growth at a cell autonomous level in several

Mammalian early embryo development requires a well-orchestrated interplay of cell signaling pathways. Notch is a major regulatory pathway involved in cell-fate determination in embryonic and adult scenarios. However, the role of Notch in embryonic pre-implantation development is controversial. In particular, Notch role on blastocyst development and hatching remains elusive, and a complete picture of

BACKGROUND During mammalian cerebral cortex development, different types of projection neurons are produced in a precise temporal order and in stereotypical numbers. The mechanisms regulating timely generation of neocortex projection neurons and ensuring production in sufficient numbers of each neuronal identity are only partially understood. RESULTS Here, we show that ephrin-B2, a member of the Eph:ephrin

BACKGROUND The tissue regeneration process requires high oxygen and energy levels. Cytoglobin (Cygb) is a member of the globin family, which has the ability to bind oxygen, plays a role in dealing with oxidative stress, and carries oxygen into the mitochondria. Energy production for tissue regeneration is associated with mitochondria-especially mitochondrial biogenesis. The peroxisome proliferator-activated

BACKGROUND Hair follicles are an appendage of the vertebrate epithelium in the skin that arise from the embryonic ectoderm and regenerate cyclically during adulthood. Dermal papilla cells (DPCs) are the key dermal component of the hair follicle that directly regulate hair follicle development, growth and regeneration. According to recent studies, miRNAs play an important role in regulating hair follicle

BACKGROUND Octopus vulgaris has been an iconic cephalopod species for neurobiology research as well as for cephalopod aquaculture. It is one of the most intelligent and well-studied invertebrates, possessing both long- and short-term memory and the striking ability to perform complex cognitive tasks. Nevertheless, how the common octopus developed these uncommon features remains enigmatic. O. vulgaris

Eyespot color pattern formation on butterfly wings is sensitive to physical damage and physical distortion as well as physical contact with materials on the surface of wing epithelial tissue at the pupal stage. Contact-mediated eyespot color pattern changes may imply a developmental role of the extracellular matrix in morphogenic signal propagation. Here, we examined eyespot responses to various contact

Bioelectrical signals are known to be involved in the generation of cell and tissue polarity as well as in cytoskeletal dynamics. The epithelium of Drosophila ovarian follicles is a suitable model system for studying connections between electrochemical gradients, patterns of cytoskeletal elements and axial polarity. By interactions between soma and germline cells, the transforming growth factor-α homolog

BACKGROUND Pancreatic organoid systems have recently been described for the in vitro culture of pancreatic ductal cells from mouse and human. Mouse pancreatic organoids exhibit unlimited expansion potential, while previously reported human pancreas organoid (hPO) cultures do not expand efficiently long-term in a chemically defined, serum-free medium. We sought to generate a 3D culture system for long-term

BACKGROUND Uterine receptivity is one of the determinants of embryo implantation, which is responsible for pregnancy success. Aberrant embryo implantation due to disrupted uterine receptivity is usually found in ovarian hyperstimulation induced hyperoestrogen patients. RESULTS This study identified keratin 86 (KRT86), a fibrous structural protein, which was upregulated in uterine endometrium during

BACKGROUND Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been widely known to have an appreciable effect in physiology and pathology. In tooth regeneration, periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) are regarded as a key effector, whereas, how lncRNA acts in the osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs have not been completely understood. This study aims to find out the relationship between lncRNA DANCR and the proliferation

BACKGROUND In normal mammalian development a high percentage of implantations is lost by spontaneous resorption. This is a major problem in assisted reproduction and blastocyst transfer. Which embryo will be resorbed is unpredictable. Resorption is very fast, so that with conventional methods only final haemorrhagic stages are encountered. Here we describe the histology and immunohistochemistry of

Rab proteins are GTPases responsible for intracellular vesicular trafficking regulation. Rab11 proteins, members of the Rab GTPase family, are known to regulate vesicular recycling during embryonic development. In zebrafish, there are 3 rab11 paralogues, known as rab11a, rab11ba and rab11bb, sharing high identity with each other. However, the expression analysis of rab11 is so far lacking. Here, by

Tardigrades are microscopic organisms, famous for their tolerance against extreme environments. The establishment of rearing systems of multiple species has allowed for comparison of tardigrade physiology, in particular in embryogenesis. Interestingly, in-lab cultures of limnic species showed smaller variation in hatching timing than terrestrial species, suggesting a hatching regulation mechanism acquired

BACKGROUND Epigenetic regulation of oocyte-specific maternal factors is essential for oocyte and early embryonic development. KPNA7 is an oocyte-specific maternal factor, which controls transportation of nuclear proteins important for early embryonic development. To elucidate the epigenetic mechanisms involved in the controlled expression of KPNA7, both DNA methylation associated transcriptional silencing

BACKGROUND During Drosophila oogenesis, the follicular epithelium differentiates into several morphologically distinct follicle-cell populations. Characteristic bioelectrical properties make this tissue a suitable model system for studying connections between electrochemical signals and the organisation of the cytoskeleton. Recently, we have described stage-specific transcellular antero-posterior and

BACKGROUND Animals with polyploid, hybrid nuclei offer a challenge for models of gene expression and regulation during embryogenesis. To understand how such organisms proceed through development, we examined the timing and prevalence of mortality among embryos of unisexual salamanders in the genus Ambystoma. RESULTS Our regional field surveys suggested that heightened rates of embryo mortality among

BACKGROUND Immature mammalian oocytes are held arrested at prophase I of meiosis by an inhibitory phosphorylation of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1). Release from this meiotic arrest and germinal vesicle breakdown is dependent on dephosphorylation of CDK1 by the protein, cell cycle division 25B (CDC25B). Evidence suggests that phosphorylated CDC25B is bound to YWHA (14-3-3) proteins in the cytoplasm

BACKGROUND Mouse NOTCH1 carries a highly conserved O-fucose glycan at Thr466 in epidermal growth factor-like repeat 12 (EGF12) of the extracellular domain. O-Fucose at this site has been shown by X-ray crystallography to be recognized by both DLL4 and JAG1 Notch ligands. We previously showed that a Notch1 Thr466Ala mutant exhibits very little ligand-induced NOTCH1 signaling in a reporter assay, whereas

BACKGROUND Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is an important signalling protein involved in the induction of early cartilaginous differentiation. Herein, we demonstrate that Shh markedly induces chondrogenesis of rabbit bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) under microgravity conditions, and promotes cartilage regeneration. RESULTS In the rotary cell culture system (RCCS), chondrogenic differentiation was revealed

BACKGROUND Caenorhabditis elegans seam cells serve as a good model to understand how genes and signaling pathways interact to control asymmetric cell fates. The stage-specific pattern of seam cell division is coordinated by a genetic network that includes WNT asymmetry pathway components WRM-1, LIT-1, and POP-1, as well as heterochronic microRNAs (miRNAs) and their downstream targets. Mutations in

BACKGROUND The Tet protein family (Tet1, Tet2, and Tet3) regulate DNA methylation through conversion of 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine which can ultimately result in DNA demethylation and play a critical role during early mammalian development and pluripotency. While multiple groups have generated knockouts combining loss of different Tet proteins in murine embryonic stem cells (ESCs)

BACKGROUND Prostate androgen-regulated mucin-like protein 1 (PARM1) is a pro-proliferative and anti-apoptotic glycoprotein involved in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response. A single nucleotide polymorphism in the coding region of PARM1 has been associated with competence of bovine embryos to develop to the blastocyst stage. Here we tested the importance of PARM1 for development by evaluating

BACKGROUND Insulin/insulin-like growth peptide signaling (IIS) down-regulates hemolymph sugar level and facilitates larval growth in the soybean pod borer, Maruca vitrata. The objective of this study is to determine whether IIS of M. vitrata can mediate ovarian development of adult females. RESULTS A pair of ovaries consists of 8 ovarioles, each of which is separated into distal germarium and proximal

BACKGROUND The segregation of the hypoblast and the emergence of the pluripotent epiblast mark the final stages of blastocyst formation in mammalian embryos. In bovine embryos the formation of the hypoblast has been partially studied, and evidence shows that MEK signalling plays a limited role in the segregation of this lineage. Here we explored the role of different signalling pathways during lineage

BACKGROUND Alterations of bioelectrical properties of cells and tissues are known to function as wide-ranging signals during development, regeneration and wound-healing in several species. The Drosophila follicle-cell epithelium provides an appropriate model system for studying the potential role of electrochemical signals, like intracellular pH (pHi) and membrane potential (Vmem), during development

BACKGROUND Progressive transformation of the otic placode into the functional inner ear during gestational development in humans leads to the acquisition of hearing perception via the cochlea and balance and spatial orientation via the vestibular organ. RESULTS Using a correlative approach involving micro-computerized tomography (micro-CT), transmission electron microscopy and histological techniques

BACKGROUND Cell differentiation is mediated by synchronized waves of coordinated expression for hundreds to thousands of genes, and must be regulated to produce complex tissues and phenotypes. For many animal species, sexual selection has driven the development of elaborate male ornaments, requiring sex-specific differentiation pathways. One such male ornament is the pheromone-producing mental gland

BACKGROUND Coilia nasus oogenesis/spawning migration is a well-defined synchronous arrangement process. DnaJs are indispensable molecular chaperones for oogenesis process. However, how DnaJs involved the anadromous spawning migration mechanism is outstanding and plausible. RESULTS In this regard, two DnaJs (Cn-DnaJa1 and Cn-DnaJb1) are cloned from the Coilia nasus's ovary. Their structure both contains

BACKGROUND The interstitium of the mouse testis contains Leydig cells and a small number of steroidogenic cells with adrenal characteristics which may be derived from the fetal adrenal during development or may be a normal subset of the developing fetal Leydig cells. Currently it is not known what regulates development and/or proliferation of this sub-population of steroidogenic cells in the mouse

BACKGROUND NK genes are a group of homeobox transcription factors that are involved in various molecular pathways across bilaterians. They are typically divided into two subgroups, the NK cluster (NKC) and NK-linked genes (NKL). While the NKC genes have been studied in various bilaterians, corresponding data of many NKL genes are missing to date. To further investigate the ancestral roles of NK family

BACKGROUND C-lectin family 14 Member A (Clec14a) is a transmembrane protein specifically expressed in vascular endothelial cells during embryogenesis. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have provided conflicting data regarding Clec14a role in promoting or inhibiting angiogenesis, therefore its functional role in vascular development remains poorly understood. RESULTS Here we have generated a novel

BACKGROUND The embryonic day E10-13 period of mouse heart development is characterized by robust cardiomyocyte proliferation that creates the compact zone of thickened ventricular wall myocardium. This process is initiated by the formation of the epicardium on the outer heart surface, which releases insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) as the primary cardiomyocyte mitogen. Two receptors mediate IGF2

BACKGROUND Knowledge about vitellogenesis in spiders is rudimentary. Therefore, the aim of study was to check the vitellogenin (Vg) presence in various tissues of the female spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum, determine when and where vitellogenesis starts and takes place, and the putative role of selected hormones in the vitellogenesis. RESULTS Here we show two genes encoding Vg (PtVg4 and PtVg6) in

BACKGROUND Organoid cultivation in suspension culture requires agitation at low shear stress to allow for nutrient diffusion, which preserves tissue structure. Multiplex systems for organoid cultivation have been proposed, but whether they meet similar shear stress parameters as the regularly used spinner flask and its correlation with the successful generation of brain organoids has not been determined

BACKGROUND Work in other species suggests that interleukin-6 (IL6) promotes early embryo development. It was unclear whether IL6 serves as an embryokine in cultured bovine embryos. This work was undertaken to elucidate the role of IL6 during in vitro bovine embryo production. RESULTS Transcripts for IL6 and its two cognate receptor subunits (IL6R, IL6ST) were confirmed in bovine embryos from the 1-cell

BACKGROUND BMP signaling is involved in myriad metazoan developmental processes, and study of this pathway in Drosophila has contributed greatly to our understanding of its molecular and genetic mechanisms. These studies have benefited not only from Drosophila's advanced genetic tools, but from complimentary in vitro culture systems. However, the commonly-used S2 cell line is not intrinsically sensitive

BACKGROUND Previous studies have implicated a role for circadian clocks in regulating pre-adult development of organisms. Among them two approaches are most notable: 1) use of insects whose clocks have different free-running periods and 2) imposition of artificial selection on either rate of development, timing of emergence or circadian period in laboratory populations. Using these two approaches,

BACKGROUND Histone modifications are critical in regulating neuronal processes. However, the impacts of individual histone modifications on learning and memory are elusive. Here, we investigated the contributions of histone H3 lysine modifications to learning and memory in Drosophila by using histone lysine-to-alanine mutants. RESULTS Behavioural analysis indicated that compared to the H3WT group,

BACKGROUND Integrins are transmembrane receptors that mediate cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell-cell adhesion and trophoblast cells undergo changes in integrin expression as they differentiate. However, the mechanism(s) of integrin activation leading to integrin-mediated signaling in trophoblast cell differentiation is unknown. The Fermitin family proteins are integrin activators that help mediate

BACKGROUND Myopia (short-sightedness) affects approximately 1.4 billion people worldwide, and prevalence is increasing. Animal models induced by defocusing lenses show striking similarity with human myopia in terms of morphology and the implicated genetic pathways. Less is known about proteome changes in animals. Thus, the present study aimed to improve understanding of protein pathway responses to

BACKGROUND Mammalian brain is formed through neural tube closure (NTC), wherein both ridges of opposing neural folds are fused in the midline and remodeled in the roof plate of the neural tube and overlying non-neural ectodermal layer. Apoptosis is widely observed from the beginning of NTC at the neural ridges and is crucial for the proper progression of NTC, but its role after the closure remains

BACKGROUND Alterations in maternal environment can sometimes affect embryonic development in a sexually-dimorphic manner. The objective was to determine whether preimplantation bovine embryos respond to three maternally-derived cell signaling molecules in a sex-dependent manner. RESULTS Actions of three embryokines known to increase competence of bovine embryos to develop to the blastocyst stage, insulin-like

BACKGROUND Diabetes and hypothyroidism produce adverse effects on body weight and sexual maturity by inhibiting body growth and metabolism. The occurrence of diabetes is always accompanied with thyroid dysfunction. Thus, it is important to take hypo- or hyper-thyroidism into consideration when exploring the adverse effects caused by diabetes. Previous reports have found hypothyroidism inhibits testicular

BACKGROUND Dmrt2a is a zinc finger like transcription factor with several roles during zebrafish early development: left-right asymmetry, synchronisation of the somite clock genes and fast muscle differentiation. Despite the described functions, Dmrt2a mechanism of action is unknown. Therefore, with this work, we propose to identify Dmrt2a downstream genes during zebrafish early development. RESULTS

BACKGROUND Pregnant women may be exposed to nicotine if they smoke or use tobacco products, nicotine replacement therapy, or via e-cigarettes. Prenatal nicotine exposure has been shown to have deleterious effects on the nervous system in mammals including changes in brain size and in the dopaminergic system. The genetic and molecular mechanisms for these changes are not well understood. A Drosophila

BACKGROUND The proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA or PCN-1 in C. elegans), an essential processivity factor for DNA polymerase δ, has been widely used as a marker of S-phase. In C. elegans early embryos, PCN-1 accumulation is cyclic, localizing to the nucleus during S-phase and the cytoplasm during the rest of the cell cycle. The C. elegans larval and adult germline is an important model systems

BACKGROUND Honeybee development consists of four stages: embryo, larva, pupa and adult. Embryogenesis, a key process of cell division and differentiation, takes 3 days in honeybees. However, the embryonic transcriptome and the dynamic regulation of embryonic transcription are still largely uncharacterized in honeybees, especially in the Asian honeybee (Apis cerana). Here, we employed high-quality RNA-seq

BACKGROUND Male European seabass, already predominant (~ 70%) in cultured stocks, show a high incidence (20-30%) of precocious sexual maturation under current aquaculture practices, leading to important economic losses for the industry. In view of the known modulation of reproductive development by swimming exercise in other teleost species, we aimed at investigating the effects of sustained swimming

BACKGROUND In this work we have determined molecular signatures of oviduct epithelial and progenitor cells. We have proposed a panel of selected marker genes, which correspond with the phenotype of oviduct cells of a laying hen (Gallus gallus domesticus) and quail (Coturnix japonica). We demonstrated differences in characteristics of those cells, in tissue and in vitro, with respect to different anatomical

BACKGROUND The experimental approach to the evolution and development of the vertebrate skeleton has to a large extent relied on "direct-developing" amniote model organisms, such as the mouse and the chicken. These organisms can however only be partially informative where it concerns secondarily lost features or anatomical novelties not present in their lineages. The widely used anamniotes Xenopus

BACKGROUND FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs) have become the subject of considerable interest in several fields, leading to the identification of several cellular and molecular pathways in which FKBPs impact prenatal development and pathogenesis of many human diseases. MAIN BODY This analysis revealed differences between how mammalian and Drosophila FKBPs mechanisms function in relation to the immunosuppressant