Review
Cell Biology
Alyssa Kearly, Andrew D. L. Nelson, Aleksandra Skirycz, Monika Chodasiewicz
Summary: Stress Granules (SGs) and Processing-bodies (P-bodies) are important biomolecular condensates that play crucial roles in maintaining mRNA balance and regulating stress responses. They are composed of proteins and RNAs involved in translation, protein folding, and energy metabolism.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Hana Fakim, Christine Vande Velde
Summary: There has been increasing attention to the role of phase-separated biomolecular condensates, specifically stress granules, in neurodegenerative diseases like ALS. ALS-associated mutations in genes involved in stress granule assembly have been found, and stress granule proteins have been detected in pathological inclusions in ALS patient neurons. However, protein components of stress granules are also present in other physiological biomolecular condensates, which have not been adequately discussed in relation to ALS. This review explores the functions of TDP-43 and FUS in physiological condensates occurring in the nucleus and neurites beyond stress granules, and discusses the impact of ALS-linked mutations on their ability to phase separate and perform their functions in stress-independent biomolecular condensates.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Francesca Marcon, Simona Giunta, Margherita Bignami
Summary: Satellite DNA sequences are a crucial part of centromeres, which are essential for the accurate segregation of chromosomes during cell division. Due to their complex repetitive structure, satellite DNA can hinder DNA replication and other DNA-based processes, potentially leading to chromosome breakage. In recent years, several DNA repair proteins have been found to interact with and function at centromeres, contributing to the maintenance of their structure and function. While the importance of these repair factors has been demonstrated by chromosome aberrations resulting from their inactivation, their roles in satellite DNA replication and repair are still being explored. Recent studies have also linked specific DNA repair factors at centromeres to age-related increase in chromosomal instability under physiological and pathological conditions.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Diba Borgmann, Henning Fenselau
Summary: Maintaining blood glucose at an appropriate physiological level requires coordination of multiple organs and tissues, with the vagus nerve playing a key role in central control. Recent studies have revealed the cellular identity, neuroanatomical organization, and functional contributions of vagal neurons in the regulation of systemic glucose metabolism. These findings provide new insights into the precise roles of vagal neurons in coordinating glucose levels and offer potential avenues for treating glucose metabolism disorders.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Gongping Sun
Summary: Executioner caspases play a crucial role in regulating cell death under apoptotic stress, driving cell death while also triggering survival and proliferation signals. Recent studies have shown that cells can survive from activation of executioner caspases under stress, leading to molecular and phenotypic alterations in the survivors.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Adam J. Isabella, Cecilia B. Moens
Summary: The vagus nerve is a complex structure with organized topographic and molecular organization. Understanding the developmental mechanisms and regenerative processes of the vagus nerve is important for future research. However, there is still much to discover about the specific specification and guidance of vagus neuron identity.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Hunter C. Herriage, Yi-Ting Huang, Brian R. Calvi
Summary: Apoptosis prevents the inappropriate acquisition of extra copies of the genome, known as polyploidy, but the polyploid state can suppress apoptosis. The mechanisms linking apoptosis and polyploid cell cycles are still largely unknown, and studying the regulation of apoptosis in development and cancer could lead to more effective therapies.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Daniel Campbell, Steven Zuryn
Summary: Mitochondrial dynamics play a crucial role in regulating cellular and organismal homeostasis, impacting various aspects of an organism's healthspan. By studying the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a comprehensive understanding of the impact of mitochondrial dynamics on homeostasis over a lifetime can be obtained.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Tatiana C. Coverdell, Stephen B. G. Abbott, John N. Campbell
Summary: In this article, we review how genetic technology and single-cell genomics are revealing the organizational principles of the efferent vagus in unprecedented detail.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Vittoria Clapero, Stephanie Arrivault, Mark Stitt
Summary: The Calvin-Benson cycle has undergone massive selection and co-evolution with carbon-concentrating mechanisms due to changing environmental factors. Metabolite profiling reveals species-specific variations in the operation of the cycle, indicating the influence of different modes of photosynthesis. Connectivity analysis identifies constraints and driving factors for cross-species diversity in the cycle.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Alexander Lin, Yogambha Ramaswamy, Ashish Misra
Summary: Smooth muscle cells, endothelial cells, and macrophages in blood vessels display remarkable heterogeneity, and their developmental origins may influence their plasticity. Unbiased single cell whole transcriptome analysis techniques are revolutionizing the understanding of cellular diversity and plasticity, providing insights for therapeutic research.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Elisa Longhi, Laura Carminati, Elena Carlessi, Dorina Belotti, Giulia Taraboletti
Summary: Thrombospondins (TSPs) play important roles in cancer by regulating the behavior of cancer cells and non-neoplastic cells, defining tumor cell responses to environmental changes, and controlling drug delivery and activity, tumor response, and therapy resistance. The specific effects of TSPs depend on the interactions between TSPs and cell types, receptors, and ligands.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Richard P. Tucker, Josephine C. Adams
Summary: Thrombospondins (TSPs) play diverse roles in animals and have been found to belong to a superfamily that includes different subgroups such as mega-TSPs, sushi-TSPs, and poriferan-TSPs. Invertebrates encode a greater diversity of TSP superfamily members than vertebrates.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Andrew J. Kwok, Jianning Lu, Junzhe Huang, Bonaventure Y. Ip, Vincent C. T. Mok, Hei Ming Lai, Ho Ko
Summary: High-resolution omics techniques, such as single-cell and spatial transcriptomic profiling, are providing valuable insights into the molecular diversity and age-related changes of gliovascular cells in neurodegenerative disorders. Integrating the rapidly accumulating findings of omic profiling studies can reveal important molecular features associated with vascular deficits and inflammatory pathways, and accelerate biomarker discovery and therapeutic development for neurodegenerative conditions.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Sukhbir Kaur, David D. Roberts
Summary: Thrombospondin-1 modulates cell behavior by interacting with components of the extracellular matrix and cell surface receptors. Its release and expression are influenced by injuries and various diseases, while its sustained presence in the extracellular space is regulated by receptor-mediated clearance. Thrombospondin-1 plays important roles in immune responses.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Nicolas Brechot, Alexandre Rutault, Iris Marangon, Stephane Germain
Summary: Blood endothelial cells play a crucial role in tissue homeostasis and vascular function, and their regulatory mechanisms have significant therapeutic potential.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
P. Lemonnier, T. Lawson
Summary: Stomatal conductance plays a crucial role in determining CO2 uptake and water loss in plants, affecting overall water status and productivity. However, the signals coordinating mesophyll demands for CO2, the role of chloroplasts in stomatal function, and other GC metabolic processes in stomatal function remain poorly understood.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Matteo Gionfriddo, Timothy Rhodes, Spencer M. Whitney
Summary: Rubisco is a key enzyme that facilitates the entry of CO2 into the biosphere, but its catalytic properties are slow and error-prone. More effective Rubisco variants have been discovered in certain algae, offering the potential to significantly improve crop productivity. However, incompatibilities in protein folding have hindered the transplantation of these variants into plants. Directed evolution is now being explored to enhance Rubisco catalysis.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
James Petrik, Sylvia Lauks, Bianca Garlisi, Jack Lawler
Summary: Many cancers start with a small nest of transformed cells that can remain dormant. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) initially promotes dormancy by suppressing angiogenesis, but over time, factors promoting angiogenesis become dominant and recruit various cells to form a complex tumor microenvironment. TSPs play a role in the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cells in the tumor microenvironment, as well as influencing the immune characteristics and phenotype of tumor-associated macrophages.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
Review
Cell Biology
Elton P. Hudson
Summary: The Calvin Benson cycle plays a crucial role in the ecological and biotechnological aspects of bacteria. Recent studies have shed light on the regulation of this cycle in bacteria, with post-transcriptional and post-translational regulation being important in phototrophic bacteria, and transcriptional regulation being prominent in chemolithoautotrophic bacteria. Understanding the regulation of the Calvin Benson cycle has implications for enhancing CO2 fixation and improving the synthesis of desired products. Non-canonical cycles may offer potential benefits for industrial applications.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2024)
