Journal Club

Highlighting recently published papers selected by Academy members

Category Archives: Developmental Biology

Smaller salamander species associated with smaller genomes

Posted on October 30, 2020 by Carolyn Beans

The world’s tiniest salamanders are so small that some body parts appear to get short shrift. Those in the genus Thorius, for example, have heads that are “mind bogglingly small, maybe half the size of a pencil eraser,” says herpetologist … Continue reading →

Common features of domestic animals suggest caveats to evolutionary theory

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Natasha Gilbert

White patches on fur coats, floppy ears, and curly tails are some of the traits frequently seen in domesticated animals. A group of researchers has now put forth a theory as to why these traits so often evolve in association … Continue reading →

By separating life stages, metamorphosis may circumvent harmful evolutionary tradeoffs

Posted on July 30, 2019 by Jessica P. Johnson

There’s no guarantee evolution will bestow the best version of every trait. The benefits of one trait may impose a cost when an unfavorable trait, correlated genetically, comes along for the ride. In a recent study on wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) … Continue reading →

Honeybee queens influence offspring caste through egg size

Posted on July 12, 2019 by Amy McDermott

Queen bees have surprising sway over the future development of their eggs, a recent study reports. The reigning bee matriarch lays larger eggs in the wax honeycomb cells where workers raise new queens as compared with the eggs laid in … Continue reading →

Categories: Developmental Biology | Genetics | Journal Club | Tagged honeybee, maternal effect, queen | Leave a comment

Journal Club: Scientists culture human placenta cells in hopes of understanding pregnancy complications

Posted on February 1, 2018 by Carolyn Beans

A collection of human placental cells known as trophoblasts are responsible for much of what goes right in a healthy pregnancy. But growing and studying these cells in the lab has been a major challenge. Now, a team of Japanese … Continue reading →

Journal Club: Cells use waves to regulate mitosis, suggesting similar wave dynamics as myriad natural phenomena

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Carrie Arnold

Over the past decade, biologists have discovered an ever-increasing number of phenomena that exhibit wave-like behavior. Everything from the firing of neurons to the spread of a virus through a population can show a similar pattern: they emanate from … Continue reading →

Journal Club: Female flies fight back against mate-guarding by males

Posted on August 23, 2016 by Helen Shen

After mating, males of many species take steps to keep their partners from having sex with other males. But some females may have evolved tricks to foil these measures. Researchers studying the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster have discovered that when … Continue reading →

Categories: Developmental Biology | Journal Club | Tagged drosophila, pheromones, reproduction, sex | Leave a comment

Journal Club: Ancient fish moving to land used their tails as crutches

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Charles Choi

The evolution from fish living in water to vertebrates living on land was one of the most pivotal moments in the history of the animal kingdom. Now scientists using robot fish suggest that these ancient pioneers may have used their … Continue reading →

Categories: Developmental Biology | Engineering | Evolution | Tagged locomotion, mudskipper, robot, tail | Leave a comment

Selective vapor response of butterfly wings might have useful applications

Posted on October 22, 2013 by pnas

The mesmerizing wings of the tropical butterfly Morpho often shimmer blue, green and violet. The iridescence of these wings doesn’t result from pigments or dyes, but from structures that reflect and scatter light waves, making them interfere with each other … Continue reading →

Categories: Chemistry | Developmental Biology | Leave a comment

Egg cells regulate their own maturation chemicals

Posted on August 29, 2013 by pnas

Mammalian egg cells are each surrounded by a blanket of cells known as the ovarian follicle. Scientists knew follicles released molecules that controlled the development of egg cells until they are ready for fertilization. Now researchers discover that egg cells … Continue reading →

Categories: Developmental Biology | Leave a comment

Seeking the origin of paired fins

Posted on July 3, 2013 by pnas

Paired fins were a key novelty in the evolution of vertebrates, ultimately allowing paired appendages to arise that help lizards to scamper, birds to fly, and humans to stand upright and use tools in their hands. Now analysis of lamprey, … Continue reading →

Categories: Developmental Biology | Leave a comment