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When metabolism provides more than fuel

Scientists discovered that metabolism plays a signalling role during embryonic development, controlling the tempo of growth. By modulating metabolism, they identified a key metabolite FBP regulating the segmentation clock, which impacts spatial patterns of body segments.

SourceEuropean Molecular Biology Laboratory·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 19, 2025
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The speed of life: a zoo of cells to study developmental time

Researchers compared developmental time across six species, including humans and mice, to find that embryonic duration is a key factor. They also discovered correlations between evolutionary history and segmentation clock periods.

SourceEuropean Molecular Biology Laboratory·JournalCell Stem Cell·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 20, 2023

Sculpting the human body plan in a dish

Scientists at ASHBi have successfully generated a 3D model that recapitulates the early stages of human body plan development, including somite formation and axial skeleton development. The study revealed the importance of retinoids in this process and demonstrated its potential for understanding congenital spine disease.

SourceKyoto University·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 21, 2022

Researchers recreate periodic structure of spine development without biological clocks

A team from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center discovered how segmentation clock genes instruct the tempo of spine formation, opening doors to new basic science research. By inducing segment formation in zebrafish without biological clocks, the researchers aimed to understand the origins of birth defects in humans.

SourceCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 14, 2022

Unravelling the origins of the human spine

Researchers from EMBL Barcelona have successfully recreated the formation of human spinal column precursor structures in a laboratory setting. The study reveals that the segmentation clock regulates somitogenesis and that somite size is species-specific.

SourceEuropean Molecular Biology Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 28, 2022
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Tissue dynamics provide clues to human disease

EMBL scientists examined the molecular causes of a rare hereditary disease of the spine and ribs, revealing that errors in the segmentation clock can cause disorders. The researchers created a lab system to study this process, demonstrating that specific gene mutations, such as DLL3, are responsible for the condition.

SourceEuropean Molecular Biology Laboratory·JournalNature·DateApr 3, 2020

Reconstructing the clock of human development

Researchers at Kyoto University have successfully reconstructed the human segmentation clock using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), a key focus of embryonic development research. The study reveals novel genetic components and oscillation patterns of the clock, which controls the formation of organs and tissues.

SourceKyoto University·JournalNature·DateApr 1, 2020

Evidence of a human segmentation clock reveals how an embryo's vertebrae tick

A team of researchers has developed a laboratory model for vertebral development, allowing them to study the human segmentation clock and its role in forming the spinal column. The model reveals that the clock controls the periodic activation of molecular signaling pathways, leading to the formation of vertebrae.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalNature·DateJan 8, 2020

Cellular clock regulating human spine development

Scientists have unveiled the first lab-dish models of human spine development, providing evidence of the segmentation clock in humans. The models allow for the study of early spine development and could lead to new treatments for conditions such as congenital scoliosis.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalNature·DateJan 8, 2020

How to grow a spine

A team of researchers at Harvard Medical School has created a stable version of the segmentation clock in a petri dish, revealing its dynamic nature and control mechanisms. The discovery could lead to improved understanding of scoliosis and other human spinal defects.

SourceHarvard Medical School·JournalCell·DateSep 26, 2017
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