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preLighters’ choice – Handpicked DevBio preprints

preLighters with expertise across developmental and stem cell biology have nominated a few developmental biology (and related) preprints they’re excited about and explain in a few paragraph why. Concise preprint highlights, prepared by the preLighter community – a quick way to spot upcoming trends, new methods and fresh ideas.

List by Theodora Stougiannou, Jawdat Sandakly, Sristilekha Nath, Deevitha Balasubramanian

Preprints:

Canonical mTOR signaling supports complete fin regeneration

Josane F. de Sousa, Gabriela Lima, Louise Perez, Michaela Tsanova, Cyrus Bronson, Garrison Boehl, Icyss Sargeant, Rogerio Gomes, Aline C. Dragalzew, Wainna B. Mendes, Igor Schneider

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.27.714790v1

Fins, and cells, and signals, and regeneration, oh my! How the Senegal bichir regrows its fins after amputation.

The authors of this preprint investigate fin regeneration in the Senegal bichir (Polypterus senegalus), a type of ray-finned fish capable of full fin regeneration; this biological characteristic is quite impressive on its own, as the fin includes different tissues, such as skeletal, cartilaginous, muscular and connective tissue with complexity comparable to that found in tetrapod limbs.

The preprint authors show that regeneration entails the activation of canonical mTOR cellular programs, as treatment with the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin prevented this regeneration, though wound healing proceeded normally. Signaling was activated upon amputation, first in epithelial cells in the epidermis and then in adjacent mesenchymal cells below the superficial layers, as well as myeloid cell types.

It seems that mTOR programs in myeloid populations are responsible for the coordination of regenerative procedures across different cell types, as well as its eventual resolution.  Moreover, existence of such programs in species of fish highlights the ‘ancient’ evolutionary origins of tissue regeneration, giving hope for application of these principles in other species.

Selected by: Theodora M Stougiannou

From de Sousa et al. (2026). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Whole-Cell Proteomics Identifies Novel Regulators of Ciliogenesis Beyond the Axoneme

Xiaolu Xu, Yanbao Yu, Tony Zheng, Fiona Clark, Jean Ross, Neha Sindhu, Andre L P Tavares, John B Wallingford, Shuo Wei, Jian Sun

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.20.655211v2

Uncovering new players in ciliogenesis by whole-cell proteomics   

Motile cilia are microtubule-based organelles that are involved in fundamental biological processes such as embryonic development, signalling, and mucus clearance. Their dysfunction results in several disorders known as ciliopathies.

Several efforts over the years have helped in elucidating the molecular architecture of motile cilia and in understanding ciliary structures and functions. Moreover, previous proteomic studies provided valuable insights into the axonemal composition. However, many molecular regulators of ciliogenesis remain unknown and other critical cellular components beyond the axoneme involved in ciliogenesis require further investigation.

In this preprint, the authors performed a high-resolution whole-cell proteomic profile of multiciliated cells (MCC), whose function is regulated by axonemal proteins, basal bodies, cytoplasmic factors, and nuclear components. They induced MCC cell fate in Xenopus, therefore enriching ciliary proteins and generating mucociliary organoids. Following their high-depth proteomic profiling, they identified several previously uncharacterized proteins that are essential for MCC maintenance and ciliogenesis. Through in situ hybridization, immunostaining, and gene knockdown, they further confirmed the new candidates, thus providing new potential targets to be further explored to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms related to ciliopathies.

Selected by: Jawdat Sandakly

From Xu et al. (2026). This image is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.

Synthetic lumen rounding directs neural progenitor division mode

Marina Marchenko, Guillermo Martínez Ara, Juslina Pulikkal, Keisuke Ishihara, Miki Ebisuya

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.30.715222v1

Cells read lumen geometry to instruct division mode and lineage progression

During early brain development, tissue geometry – including lumen geometry – dynamically changes; a process which varies across species. But does this geometry simply result from development, or does it actively instruct how cells behave?

The authors of this preprint investigate this question by artificially controlling lumen geometry in brain organoids using two approaches: chemical induction of Shroom3, a protein that drives apical constriction and OptoShroom3, an optogenetic system enabling precise, light-controlled activation. The latter enables spatially targeted control without affecting overall Shroom3 levels within the organoids.

The results reveal that lumen geometry is not a passive consequence of development, but an active regulator of cell behavior. Chemically-induced Shroom3 organoids formed much rounder lumens and neural buds, and generated basal progenitor cells faster than controls, while cells gradually switched from vertical to horizontal cleavage planes over time, a critical reorientation since horizontal division results in asymmetric cell division that generates more basal progenitors, whereas vertical division (in controls) maintains more apical progenitors. When the authors used OptoShroom3 to create rounded lumens with localized blue light illumination, apical progenitor cells in target buds similarly shifted toward horizontal cleavage planes within an hour, whereas those without illumination (control bud within the same organoid) did not.

These findings demonstrate that cells ‘read’ their geometric environment to make developmental decisions, suggesting lumen shape as a key determinant, not merely a consequence of morphogenetic outcomes, a principle likely applicable broadly across organs and species.

Selected by Sristilekha Nath

From Marchenko et al. (2026). This image is made available under a CC-BY 4.0 International license.

Lamin A/C directs nucleosome-scale chromatin remodeling to define early lineage segregation in mammals

Alice Sherrard, Liangwen Zhong, Caroline Hoppe, Srikar Krishna, Scott Youlten, Curtis W. Boswell, Stephen Cross, Fiona E. Sievers, Goli Ardestani, Denny Sakkas, Liyun Miao, Zachary D. Smith, Berna Sozen, Antonio J. Giraldez

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.01.01.696913v1

Nuclear lamins direct the first lineage decision in mammalian cells

The first lineage decision during mammalian development into the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) is well known to be initiated by transcriptional and epigenetic factors and reinforced by mechanical forces. While global chromatin organization is understood to be important for this process, it remains unclear how the fine-scale distribution of chromatin and nucleosomes plays a role in these cell fate decisions.

To investigate this, the authors set up an improved chromatin electron tomography protocol called ChromEMT to observe nanometer-scale sub-nucleosomal structures. Using ChromEMT on human and mouse cell cultures before, during, and after specification into ICM and TE, they identified key differences in chromatin packing density and nucleosome spacing between these lineages. Importantly, they found that TE nuclei have highly compacted chromatin at their nuclear periphery. In line with this increased peripheral compaction, the authors could show that proteins located at the inner nuclear membrane, particularly lamins A and C, are specifically upregulated in TE cells across mammals. Loss of Lamin A/C resulted in loss of peripheral chromatin compaction and upregulation of pluripotency genes in TE cells, suggesting an overall transition to ICM-like characteristics. This, in turn, impairs normal progression through embryogenesis.

In concert with many more supporting findings, this preprint demonstrates how chromatin compaction and nuclear lamins directly shape early mammalian development.

Selected by Deevitha Balasubramanian

From Sherrard et al. (2026). This image is made available under a CC-BY-ND 4.0 International license.

Abnormal ventricular wall patterning precedes and drives MYBPC3 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Alejandro Salguero-Jiménez, Alba Pau-Navalón, Marcos Siguero-Álvarez, Carlos Relaño-Rupérez, Javier Santos-Cantador, María Sabater-Molina, Xiaoxi Luo, Laura Lalaguna, Laura Sen-Martín, Daniel Martín Pérez, Abel Galicia Martín, Bin Zhou, Juan Antonio Bernal Rodríguez, Fátima Sánchez-Cabo, Enrique Lara-Pezzi, Jorge Alegre-Cebollada, Juan R. Gimeno-Blanes, Donal MacGrogan, José Luis de la Pompa

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.25.714341v1

More ‘heart’, more problems; a natural history of myocardial hypertrophy progression from embryonic development to adulthood and the role of sarcomeric protein mutations (Mybpc3) in its emergence.

The authors of this preprint investigated the developmental biology underlying hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and left ventricular non-compaction in mice. To this end, they used CRISPR-Cas9, a method used to induce genetic alterations, to introduce MYBPC3 frameshift mutations in the mouse genome and then followed these mice from embryonic and fetal development into adulthood. Adult mice with these mutations displayed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy but with no evidence of left ventricular non-compaction, as opposed to humans. These formations began as trabecular enlargement and crypt enlargement during embryonic development and progressed to hypertrophy in adulthood. Lineage tracing studies further showed invasion of cardiomyocytes normally found in compact myocardium (Hey+ cardiomyocytes), into the developing trabeculae, while after birth, Hey+ cardiomyocytes became restricted to compact myocardium and the inner trabecular myocardium underwent hypertrophy. This is associated with downregulation of the Prdm16; this study highlights how the latter has potential to combat myocardial hypertrophy.

This study highlights the natural history of myocardial hypertrophy and how loss of Mybpc3 is associated with reduction in Prdm16 and onset of pathological hypertrophic remodeling.

Selected by: Theodora M Stougiannou

From Salguero-Jiménez et al. (2026). This image is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

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preLighters’ choice – Handpicked DevBio preprints

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Planar Cell Polarity – PCP

This preList contains preprints about the latest findings on Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) in various model organisms at the molecular, cellular and tissue levels.

 



List by Ana Dorrego-Rivas

Cell Polarity

Recent research from the field of cell polarity is summarized in this list of preprints. It comprises of studies focusing on various forms of cell polarity ranging from epithelial polarity, planar cell polarity to front-to-rear polarity.

 



List by Yamini Ravichandran

TAGC 2020

Preprints recently presented at the virtual Allied Genetics Conference, April 22-26, 2020. #TAGC20

 



List by Maiko Kitaoka et al.

3D Gastruloids

A curated list of preprints related to Gastruloids (in vitro models of early development obtained by 3D aggregation of embryonic cells). Updated until July 2021.

 



List by Paul Gerald L. Sanchez and Stefano Vianello

ASCB EMBO Annual Meeting 2019

A collection of preprints presented at the 2019 ASCB EMBO Meeting in Washington, DC (December 7-11)

 



List by Madhuja Samaddar et al.

EDBC Alicante 2019

Preprints presented at the European Developmental Biology Congress (EDBC) in Alicante, October 23-26 2019.

 



List by Sergio Menchero et al.

EMBL Seeing is Believing – Imaging the Molecular Processes of Life

Preprints discussed at the 2019 edition of Seeing is Believing, at EMBL Heidelberg from the 9th-12th October 2019

 



List by Dey Lab

SDB 78th Annual Meeting 2019

A curation of the preprints presented at the SDB meeting in Boston, July 26-30 2019. The preList will be updated throughout the duration of the meeting.

 



List by Alex Eve

Lung Disease and Regeneration

This preprint list compiles highlights from the field of lung biology.

 



List by Rob Hynds

Young Embryologist Network Conference 2019

Preprints presented at the Young Embryologist Network 2019 conference, 13 May, The Francis Crick Institute, London

 



List by Alex Eve

Pattern formation during development

The aim of this preList is to integrate results about the mechanisms that govern patterning during development, from genes implicated in the processes to theoritical models of pattern formation in nature.

 



List by Alexa Sadier

BSCB/BSDB Annual Meeting 2019

Preprints presented at the BSCB/BSDB Annual Meeting 2019

 



List by Dey Lab

Zebrafish immunology

A compilation of cutting-edge research that uses the zebrafish as a model system to elucidate novel immunological mechanisms in health and disease.

 



List by Shikha Nayar

Also in the genetics category:

preLighters’ choice – Handpicked DevBio preprints

preLighters with expertise across developmental and stem cell biology have nominated a few developmental biology (and related) preprints they’re excited about and explain in a few paragraph why. Concise preprint highlights, prepared by the preLighter community – a quick way to spot upcoming trends, new methods and fresh ideas.

 



List by Theodora Stougiannou et al.

BSDB Spring Meeting: Molecules to Morphogenesis

The British Society for Developmental Biology (BSDB) Spring Meeting Molecules to Morphogenesis was held from 23–26 March 2026 at the University of Warwick (UK). This meeting brought together a vibrant community of researchers to discuss how molecular mechanisms are integrated across scales to drive morphogenesis, spanning diverse model systems and approaches. This preList contains preprints by presenters from the talk and poster sessions at the meeting. Please do get in touch at preLights@biologists.com if you notice any relevant preprints that we may have missed.

 



List by Ingrid Tsang

Keystone Symposium on Stem Cell Models in Embryology 2026

The Keystone Symposium on Stem Cell Models in Embryology, 2026, was organised by Jun Wu (UT Southwestern), Jianping Fu (University of Michigan) and Miki Ebisuya (TU Dresden) and held at Asilomar Conference Grounds in California (US). The meeting discussed recent advances made in establishing stem-cell-based embryo models, what fundamental insights into developmental processes have been gleaned from them, as well as how they are beginning to be applied more widely. This prelist contains preprints by presenters at the talk and poster sessions at the conference, which our Reviews Editor in attendance spotted. Please do reach out to preLights@biologists.com if you notice any that we’ve missed.

 



List by Ingrid Tsang

SciELO preprints – From 2025 onwards

SciELO has become a cornerstone of open, multilingual scholarly communication across Latin America. Its preprint server, SciELO preprints, is expanding the global reach of preprinted research from the region (for more information, see our interview with Carolina Tanigushi). This preList brings together biological, English language SciELO preprints to help readers discover emerging work from the Global South. By highlighting these preprints in one place, we aim to support visibility, encourage early feedback, and showcase the vibrant research communities contributing to SciELO’s open science ecosystem.

 



List by Carolina Tanigushi

October in preprints – DevBio & Stem cell biology

Each month, preLighters with expertise across developmental and stem cell biology nominate a few recent developmental and stem cell biology (and related) preprints they’re excited about and explain in a single paragraph why. Short, snappy picks from working scientists — a quick way to spot fresh ideas, bold methods and papers worth reading in full. These preprints can all be found in the October preprint list published on the Node.

 



List by Deevitha Balasubramanian et al.

September in preprints – Cell biology edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading list. This month, categories include: (1) Cell organelles and organisation, (2) Cell signalling and mechanosensing, (3) Cell metabolism, (4) Cell cycle and division, (5) Cell migration

 



List by Sristilekha Nath et al.

July in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: (1) Cell Signalling and Mechanosensing (2) Cell Cycle and Division (3) Cell Migration and Cytoskeleton (4) Cancer Biology (5) Cell Organelles and Organisation

 



List by Girish Kale et al.

June in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: (1) Cell organelles and organisation (2) Cell signaling and mechanosensation (3) Genetics/gene expression (4) Biochemistry (5) Cytoskeleton

 



List by Barbora Knotkova et al.

May in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) Biochemistry/metabolism 2) Cancer cell Biology 3) Cell adhesion, migration and cytoskeleton 4) Cell organelles and organisation 5) Cell signalling and 6) Genetics

 



List by Barbora Knotkova et al.

Keystone Symposium – Metabolic and Nutritional Control of Development and Cell Fate

This preList contains preprints discussed during the Metabolic and Nutritional Control of Development and Cell Fate Keystone Symposia. This conference was organized by Lydia Finley and Ralph J. DeBerardinis and held in the Wylie Center and Tupper Manor at Endicott College, Beverly, MA, United States from May 7th to 9th 2025. This meeting marked the first in-person gathering of leading researchers exploring how metabolism influences development, including processes like cell fate, tissue patterning, and organ function, through nutrient availability and metabolic regulation. By integrating modern metabolic tools with genetic and epidemiological insights across model organisms, this event highlighted key mechanisms and identified open questions to advance the emerging field of developmental metabolism.

 



List by Virginia Savy, Martin Estermann

April in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) biochemistry/metabolism 2) cell cycle and division 3) cell organelles and organisation 4) cell signalling and mechanosensing 5) (epi)genetics

 



List by Vibha SINGH et al.

March in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) cancer biology 2) cell migration 3) cell organelles and organisation 4) cell signalling and mechanosensing 5) genetics and genomics 6) other

 



List by Girish Kale et al.

Biologists @ 100 conference preList

This preList aims to capture all preprints being discussed at the Biologists @100 conference in Liverpool, UK, either as part of the poster sessions or the (flash/short/full-length) talks.

 



List by Reinier Prosee, Jonathan Townson

Early 2025 preprints – the genetics & genomics edition

In this community-driven preList, a group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of genetics and genomics have worked together to create this preprint reading list. Categories include: 1) bioinformatics 2) epigenetics 3) gene regulation 4) genomics 5) transcriptomics

 



List by Chee Kiang Ewe et al.

January in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) biochemistry/metabolism 2) cell migration 3) cell organelles and organisation 4) cell signalling and mechanosensing 5) genetics/gene expression

 



List by Barbora Knotkova et al.

End-of-year preprints – the genetics & genomics edition

In this community-driven preList, a group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of genetics and genomics have worked together to create this preprint reading list. Categories include: 1) genomics 2) bioinformatics 3) gene regulation 4) epigenetics

 



List by Chee Kiang Ewe et al.

BSDB/GenSoc Spring Meeting 2024

A list of preprints highlighted at the British Society for Developmental Biology and Genetics Society joint Spring meeting 2024 at Warwick, UK.

 



List by Joyce Yu, Katherine Brown

BSCB-Biochemical Society 2024 Cell Migration meeting

This preList features preprints that were discussed and presented during the BSCB-Biochemical Society 2024 Cell Migration meeting in Birmingham, UK in April 2024. Kindly put together by Sara Morais da Silva, Reviews Editor at Journal of Cell Science.

 



List by Reinier Prosee

9th International Symposium on the Biology of Vertebrate Sex Determination

This preList contains preprints discussed during the 9th International Symposium on the Biology of Vertebrate Sex Determination. This conference was held in Kona, Hawaii from April 17th to 21st 2023.

 



List by Martin Estermann

Alumni picks – preLights 5th Birthday

This preList contains preprints that were picked and highlighted by preLights Alumni - an initiative that was set up to mark preLights 5th birthday. More entries will follow throughout February and March 2023.

 



List by Sergio Menchero et al.

Semmelweis Symposium 2022: 40th anniversary of international medical education at Semmelweis University

This preList contains preprints discussed during the 'Semmelweis Symposium 2022' (7-9 November), organised around the 40th anniversary of international medical education at Semmelweis University covering a wide range of topics.

 



List by Nándor Lipták

20th “Genetics Workshops in Hungary”, Szeged (25th, September)

In this annual conference, Hungarian geneticists, biochemists and biotechnologists presented their works. Link: http://group.szbk.u-szeged.hu/minikonf/archive/prg2021.pdf

 



List by Nándor Lipták

2nd Conference of the Visegrád Group Society for Developmental Biology

Preprints from the 2nd Conference of the Visegrád Group Society for Developmental Biology (2-5 September, 2021, Szeged, Hungary)

 



List by Nándor Lipták

EMBL Conference: From functional genomics to systems biology

Preprints presented at the virtual EMBL conference "from functional genomics and systems biology", 16-19 November 2020

 



List by Jesus Victorino

TAGC 2020

Preprints recently presented at the virtual Allied Genetics Conference, April 22-26, 2020. #TAGC20

 



List by Maiko Kitaoka et al.

ECFG15 – Fungal biology

Preprints presented at 15th European Conference on Fungal Genetics 17-20 February 2020 Rome

 



List by Hiral Shah

Autophagy

Preprints on autophagy and lysosomal degradation and its role in neurodegeneration and disease. Includes molecular mechanisms, upstream signalling and regulation as well as studies on pharmaceutical interventions to upregulate the process.

 



List by Sandra Malmgren Hill

Also in the molecular biology category:

preLighters’ choice – Handpicked DevBio preprints

preLighters with expertise across developmental and stem cell biology have nominated a few developmental biology (and related) preprints they’re excited about and explain in a few paragraph why. Concise preprint highlights, prepared by the preLighter community – a quick way to spot upcoming trends, new methods and fresh ideas.

 



List by Theodora Stougiannou et al.

BSDB Spring Meeting: Molecules to Morphogenesis

The British Society for Developmental Biology (BSDB) Spring Meeting Molecules to Morphogenesis was held from 23–26 March 2026 at the University of Warwick (UK). This meeting brought together a vibrant community of researchers to discuss how molecular mechanisms are integrated across scales to drive morphogenesis, spanning diverse model systems and approaches. This preList contains preprints by presenters from the talk and poster sessions at the meeting. Please do get in touch at preLights@biologists.com if you notice any relevant preprints that we may have missed.

 



List by Ingrid Tsang

Keystone Symposium on Stem Cell Models in Embryology 2026

The Keystone Symposium on Stem Cell Models in Embryology, 2026, was organised by Jun Wu (UT Southwestern), Jianping Fu (University of Michigan) and Miki Ebisuya (TU Dresden) and held at Asilomar Conference Grounds in California (US). The meeting discussed recent advances made in establishing stem-cell-based embryo models, what fundamental insights into developmental processes have been gleaned from them, as well as how they are beginning to be applied more widely. This prelist contains preprints by presenters at the talk and poster sessions at the conference, which our Reviews Editor in attendance spotted. Please do reach out to preLights@biologists.com if you notice any that we’ve missed.

 



List by Ingrid Tsang

SciELO preprints – From 2025 onwards

SciELO has become a cornerstone of open, multilingual scholarly communication across Latin America. Its preprint server, SciELO preprints, is expanding the global reach of preprinted research from the region (for more information, see our interview with Carolina Tanigushi). This preList brings together biological, English language SciELO preprints to help readers discover emerging work from the Global South. By highlighting these preprints in one place, we aim to support visibility, encourage early feedback, and showcase the vibrant research communities contributing to SciELO’s open science ecosystem.

 



List by Carolina Tanigushi

October in preprints – DevBio & Stem cell biology

Each month, preLighters with expertise across developmental and stem cell biology nominate a few recent developmental and stem cell biology (and related) preprints they’re excited about and explain in a single paragraph why. Short, snappy picks from working scientists — a quick way to spot fresh ideas, bold methods and papers worth reading in full. These preprints can all be found in the October preprint list published on the Node.

 



List by Deevitha Balasubramanian et al.

October in preprints – Cell biology edition

Different preLighters, with expertise across cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading list for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, most picks fall under (1) Cell organelles and organisation, followed by (2) Mechanosignaling and mechanotransduction, (3) Cell cycle and division and (4) Cell migration

 



List by Matthew Davies et al.

September in preprints – Cell biology edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading list. This month, categories include: (1) Cell organelles and organisation, (2) Cell signalling and mechanosensing, (3) Cell metabolism, (4) Cell cycle and division, (5) Cell migration

 



List by Sristilekha Nath et al.

June in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: (1) Cell organelles and organisation (2) Cell signaling and mechanosensation (3) Genetics/gene expression (4) Biochemistry (5) Cytoskeleton

 



List by Barbora Knotkova et al.

May in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) Biochemistry/metabolism 2) Cancer cell Biology 3) Cell adhesion, migration and cytoskeleton 4) Cell organelles and organisation 5) Cell signalling and 6) Genetics

 



List by Barbora Knotkova et al.

Keystone Symposium – Metabolic and Nutritional Control of Development and Cell Fate

This preList contains preprints discussed during the Metabolic and Nutritional Control of Development and Cell Fate Keystone Symposia. This conference was organized by Lydia Finley and Ralph J. DeBerardinis and held in the Wylie Center and Tupper Manor at Endicott College, Beverly, MA, United States from May 7th to 9th 2025. This meeting marked the first in-person gathering of leading researchers exploring how metabolism influences development, including processes like cell fate, tissue patterning, and organ function, through nutrient availability and metabolic regulation. By integrating modern metabolic tools with genetic and epidemiological insights across model organisms, this event highlighted key mechanisms and identified open questions to advance the emerging field of developmental metabolism.

 



List by Virginia Savy, Martin Estermann

April in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) biochemistry/metabolism 2) cell cycle and division 3) cell organelles and organisation 4) cell signalling and mechanosensing 5) (epi)genetics

 



List by Vibha SINGH et al.

Biologists @ 100 conference preList

This preList aims to capture all preprints being discussed at the Biologists @100 conference in Liverpool, UK, either as part of the poster sessions or the (flash/short/full-length) talks.

 



List by Reinier Prosee, Jonathan Townson

February in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) biochemistry and cell metabolism 2) cell organelles and organisation 3) cell signalling, migration and mechanosensing

 



List by Barbora Knotkova et al.

Community-driven preList – Immunology

In this community-driven preList, a group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of immunology have worked together to create this preprint reading list.

 



List by Felipe Del Valle Batalla et al.

January in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) biochemistry/metabolism 2) cell migration 3) cell organelles and organisation 4) cell signalling and mechanosensing 5) genetics/gene expression

 



List by Barbora Knotkova et al.

2024 Hypothalamus GRC

This 2024 Hypothalamus GRC (Gordon Research Conference) preList offers an overview of cutting-edge research focused on the hypothalamus, a critical brain region involved in regulating homeostasis, behavior, and neuroendocrine functions. The studies included cover a range of topics, including neural circuits, molecular mechanisms, and the role of the hypothalamus in health and disease. This collection highlights some of the latest advances in understanding hypothalamic function, with potential implications for treating disorders such as obesity, stress, and metabolic diseases.

 



List by Nathalie Krauth

BSCB-Biochemical Society 2024 Cell Migration meeting

This preList features preprints that were discussed and presented during the BSCB-Biochemical Society 2024 Cell Migration meeting in Birmingham, UK in April 2024. Kindly put together by Sara Morais da Silva, Reviews Editor at Journal of Cell Science.

 



List by Reinier Prosee

‘In preprints’ from Development 2022-2023

A list of the preprints featured in Development's 'In preprints' articles between 2022-2023

 



List by Alex Eve, Katherine Brown

CSHL 87th Symposium: Stem Cells

Preprints mentioned by speakers at the #CSHLsymp23

 



List by Alex Eve

9th International Symposium on the Biology of Vertebrate Sex Determination

This preList contains preprints discussed during the 9th International Symposium on the Biology of Vertebrate Sex Determination. This conference was held in Kona, Hawaii from April 17th to 21st 2023.

 



List by Martin Estermann

Alumni picks – preLights 5th Birthday

This preList contains preprints that were picked and highlighted by preLights Alumni - an initiative that was set up to mark preLights 5th birthday. More entries will follow throughout February and March 2023.

 



List by Sergio Menchero et al.

CellBio 2022 – An ASCB/EMBO Meeting

This preLists features preprints that were discussed and presented during the CellBio 2022 meeting in Washington, DC in December 2022.

 



List by Nadja Hümpfer et al.

EMBL Synthetic Morphogenesis: From Gene Circuits to Tissue Architecture (2021)

A list of preprints mentioned at the #EESmorphoG virtual meeting in 2021.

 



List by Alex Eve

FENS 2020

A collection of preprints presented during the virtual meeting of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) in 2020

 



List by Ana Dorrego-Rivas

ECFG15 – Fungal biology

Preprints presented at 15th European Conference on Fungal Genetics 17-20 February 2020 Rome

 



List by Hiral Shah

ASCB EMBO Annual Meeting 2019

A collection of preprints presented at the 2019 ASCB EMBO Meeting in Washington, DC (December 7-11)

 



List by Madhuja Samaddar et al.

Lung Disease and Regeneration

This preprint list compiles highlights from the field of lung biology.

 



List by Rob Hynds

MitoList

This list of preprints is focused on work expanding our knowledge on mitochondria in any organism, tissue or cell type, from the normal biology to the pathology.

 



List by Sandra Franco Iborra

Also in the neuroscience category:

preLighters’ choice – Handpicked DevBio preprints

preLighters with expertise across developmental and stem cell biology have nominated a few developmental biology (and related) preprints they’re excited about and explain in a few paragraph why. Concise preprint highlights, prepared by the preLighter community – a quick way to spot upcoming trends, new methods and fresh ideas.

 



List by Theodora Stougiannou et al.

BSDB Spring Meeting: Molecules to Morphogenesis

The British Society for Developmental Biology (BSDB) Spring Meeting Molecules to Morphogenesis was held from 23–26 March 2026 at the University of Warwick (UK). This meeting brought together a vibrant community of researchers to discuss how molecular mechanisms are integrated across scales to drive morphogenesis, spanning diverse model systems and approaches. This preList contains preprints by presenters from the talk and poster sessions at the meeting. Please do get in touch at preLights@biologists.com if you notice any relevant preprints that we may have missed.

 



List by Ingrid Tsang

Keystone Symposium on Stem Cell Models in Embryology 2026

The Keystone Symposium on Stem Cell Models in Embryology, 2026, was organised by Jun Wu (UT Southwestern), Jianping Fu (University of Michigan) and Miki Ebisuya (TU Dresden) and held at Asilomar Conference Grounds in California (US). The meeting discussed recent advances made in establishing stem-cell-based embryo models, what fundamental insights into developmental processes have been gleaned from them, as well as how they are beginning to be applied more widely. This prelist contains preprints by presenters at the talk and poster sessions at the conference, which our Reviews Editor in attendance spotted. Please do reach out to preLights@biologists.com if you notice any that we’ve missed.

 



List by Ingrid Tsang

November in preprints – DevBio & Stem cell biology

preLighters with expertise across developmental and stem cell biology have nominated a few developmental and stem cell biology (and related) preprints posted in November they’re excited about and explain in a single paragraph why. Concise preprint highlights, prepared by the preLighter community – a quick way to spot upcoming trends, new methods and fresh ideas.

 



List by Aline Grata et al.

October in preprints – DevBio & Stem cell biology

Each month, preLighters with expertise across developmental and stem cell biology nominate a few recent developmental and stem cell biology (and related) preprints they’re excited about and explain in a single paragraph why. Short, snappy picks from working scientists — a quick way to spot fresh ideas, bold methods and papers worth reading in full. These preprints can all be found in the October preprint list published on the Node.

 



List by Deevitha Balasubramanian et al.

October in preprints – Cell biology edition

Different preLighters, with expertise across cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading list for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, most picks fall under (1) Cell organelles and organisation, followed by (2) Mechanosignaling and mechanotransduction, (3) Cell cycle and division and (4) Cell migration

 



List by Matthew Davies et al.

July in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: (1) Cell Signalling and Mechanosensing (2) Cell Cycle and Division (3) Cell Migration and Cytoskeleton (4) Cancer Biology (5) Cell Organelles and Organisation

 



List by Girish Kale et al.

May in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) Biochemistry/metabolism 2) Cancer cell Biology 3) Cell adhesion, migration and cytoskeleton 4) Cell organelles and organisation 5) Cell signalling and 6) Genetics

 



List by Barbora Knotkova et al.

April in preprints – the CellBio edition

A group of preLighters, with expertise in different areas of cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading lists for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, categories include: 1) biochemistry/metabolism 2) cell cycle and division 3) cell organelles and organisation 4) cell signalling and mechanosensing 5) (epi)genetics

 



List by Vibha SINGH et al.

Biologists @ 100 conference preList

This preList aims to capture all preprints being discussed at the Biologists @100 conference in Liverpool, UK, either as part of the poster sessions or the (flash/short/full-length) talks.

 



List by Reinier Prosee, Jonathan Townson

2024 Hypothalamus GRC

This 2024 Hypothalamus GRC (Gordon Research Conference) preList offers an overview of cutting-edge research focused on the hypothalamus, a critical brain region involved in regulating homeostasis, behavior, and neuroendocrine functions. The studies included cover a range of topics, including neural circuits, molecular mechanisms, and the role of the hypothalamus in health and disease. This collection highlights some of the latest advances in understanding hypothalamic function, with potential implications for treating disorders such as obesity, stress, and metabolic diseases.

 



List by Nathalie Krauth

‘In preprints’ from Development 2022-2023

A list of the preprints featured in Development's 'In preprints' articles between 2022-2023

 



List by Alex Eve, Katherine Brown

CSHL 87th Symposium: Stem Cells

Preprints mentioned by speakers at the #CSHLsymp23

 



List by Alex Eve

Journal of Cell Science meeting ‘Imaging Cell Dynamics’

This preList highlights the preprints discussed at the JCS meeting 'Imaging Cell Dynamics'. The meeting was held from 14 - 17 May 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal and was organised by Erika Holzbaur, Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz, Rob Parton and Michael Way.

 



List by Helen Zenner

FENS 2020

A collection of preprints presented during the virtual meeting of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) in 2020

 



List by Ana Dorrego-Rivas

ASCB EMBO Annual Meeting 2019

A collection of preprints presented at the 2019 ASCB EMBO Meeting in Washington, DC (December 7-11)

 



List by Madhuja Samaddar et al.

SDB 78th Annual Meeting 2019

A curation of the preprints presented at the SDB meeting in Boston, July 26-30 2019. The preList will be updated throughout the duration of the meeting.

 



List by Alex Eve

Autophagy

Preprints on autophagy and lysosomal degradation and its role in neurodegeneration and disease. Includes molecular mechanisms, upstream signalling and regulation as well as studies on pharmaceutical interventions to upregulate the process.

 



List by Sandra Malmgren Hill

Young Embryologist Network Conference 2019

Preprints presented at the Young Embryologist Network 2019 conference, 13 May, The Francis Crick Institute, London

 



List by Alex Eve

Also in the pathology category:

preLighters’ choice – Handpicked DevBio preprints

preLighters with expertise across developmental and stem cell biology have nominated a few developmental biology (and related) preprints they’re excited about and explain in a few paragraph why. Concise preprint highlights, prepared by the preLighter community – a quick way to spot upcoming trends, new methods and fresh ideas.

 



List by Theodora Stougiannou et al.

October in preprints – DevBio & Stem cell biology

Each month, preLighters with expertise across developmental and stem cell biology nominate a few recent developmental and stem cell biology (and related) preprints they’re excited about and explain in a single paragraph why. Short, snappy picks from working scientists — a quick way to spot fresh ideas, bold methods and papers worth reading in full. These preprints can all be found in the October preprint list published on the Node.

 



List by Deevitha Balasubramanian et al.

October in preprints – Cell biology edition

Different preLighters, with expertise across cell biology, have worked together to create this preprint reading list for researchers with an interest in cell biology. This month, most picks fall under (1) Cell organelles and organisation, followed by (2) Mechanosignaling and mechanotransduction, (3) Cell cycle and division and (4) Cell migration

 



List by Matthew Davies et al.

Fibroblasts

The advances in fibroblast biology preList explores the recent discoveries and preprints of the fibroblast world. Get ready to immerse yourself with this list created for fibroblasts aficionados and lovers, and beyond. Here, my goal is to include preprints of fibroblast biology, heterogeneity, fate, extracellular matrix, behavior, topography, single-cell atlases, spatial transcriptomics, and their matrix!

 



List by Osvaldo Contreras

ECFG15 – Fungal biology

Preprints presented at 15th European Conference on Fungal Genetics 17-20 February 2020 Rome

 



List by Hiral Shah

COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 preprints

List of important preprints dealing with the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. See http://covidpreprints.com for additional resources and timeline, and https://connect.biorxiv.org/relate/content/181 for full list of bioRxiv and medRxiv preprints on this topic

 



List by Dey Lab, Zhang-He Goh

1

Cellular metabolism

A curated list of preprints related to cellular metabolism at Biorxiv by Pablo Ranea Robles from the Prelights community. Special interest on lipid metabolism, peroxisomes and mitochondria.

 



List by Pablo Ranea Robles

Also in the physiology category:

preLighters’ choice – Handpicked DevBio preprints

preLighters with expertise across developmental and stem cell biology have nominated a few developmental biology (and related) preprints they’re excited about and explain in a few paragraph why. Concise preprint highlights, prepared by the preLighter community – a quick way to spot upcoming trends, new methods and fresh ideas.

 



List by Theodora Stougiannou et al.

Keystone Symposium on Stem Cell Models in Embryology 2026

The Keystone Symposium on Stem Cell Models in Embryology, 2026, was organised by Jun Wu (UT Southwestern), Jianping Fu (University of Michigan) and Miki Ebisuya (TU Dresden) and held at Asilomar Conference Grounds in California (US). The meeting discussed recent advances made in establishing stem-cell-based embryo models, what fundamental insights into developmental processes have been gleaned from them, as well as how they are beginning to be applied more widely. This prelist contains preprints by presenters at the talk and poster sessions at the conference, which our Reviews Editor in attendance spotted. Please do reach out to preLights@biologists.com if you notice any that we’ve missed.

 



List by Ingrid Tsang

October in preprints – DevBio & Stem cell biology

Each month, preLighters with expertise across developmental and stem cell biology nominate a few recent developmental and stem cell biology (and related) preprints they’re excited about and explain in a single paragraph why. Short, snappy picks from working scientists — a quick way to spot fresh ideas, bold methods and papers worth reading in full. These preprints can all be found in the October preprint list published on the Node.

 



List by Deevitha Balasubramanian et al.

Biologists @ 100 conference preList

This preList aims to capture all preprints being discussed at the Biologists @100 conference in Liverpool, UK, either as part of the poster sessions or the (flash/short/full-length) talks.

 



List by Reinier Prosee, Jonathan Townson

Fibroblasts

The advances in fibroblast biology preList explores the recent discoveries and preprints of the fibroblast world. Get ready to immerse yourself with this list created for fibroblasts aficionados and lovers, and beyond. Here, my goal is to include preprints of fibroblast biology, heterogeneity, fate, extracellular matrix, behavior, topography, single-cell atlases, spatial transcriptomics, and their matrix!

 



List by Osvaldo Contreras

FENS 2020

A collection of preprints presented during the virtual meeting of the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) in 2020

 



List by Ana Dorrego-Rivas

TAGC 2020

Preprints recently presented at the virtual Allied Genetics Conference, April 22-26, 2020. #TAGC20

 



List by Maiko Kitaoka et al.

Autophagy

Preprints on autophagy and lysosomal degradation and its role in neurodegeneration and disease. Includes molecular mechanisms, upstream signalling and regulation as well as studies on pharmaceutical interventions to upregulate the process.

 



List by Sandra Malmgren Hill

Also in the cell biology category:

Loss of Sun2 ablates nuclear mechanosensing-driven extracellular matrix production and mitigates lung fibrosis

Emma Carley, Sandra Sandria, Xueyan Peng, et al.

Selected by 13 May 2026

Beth Chopak

Biophysics

Experimental evolution of cellular miniaturization reveals a putative mechanism for cell size evolution

Garoña Ana, Lemos Victoria Morgane, Giometto Andrea, et al.

Selected by 05 May 2026

Anastasia Moraiti

Cell Biology

Science should be machine-readable

A. Sina Booeshaghi, Laura Luebbert, Lior Pachter

Selected by 03 May 2026

Theodora Stougiannou

Bioinformatics

Also in the developmental biology category:

Cell-intrinsic compliance mechanism enables release of tensile stress to prevent tissue rupture

Chun Wai Kwan, Shunta Sakaguchi, Michiko Takeda, et al.

Selected by 04 March 2026

Ruoheng Li

Cell Biology

Cooperation between cortical and cytoplasmic forces shapes planar 4-cell stage embryos

Silvia Caballero-Mancebo, Daniel Gonzalez Suarez, Janet Chenevert, et al.

Selected by 23 February 2026

Corentin Mollier, Shivani Dharmadhikari

Developmental Biology

A drought stress-induced MYB transcription factor regulates pavement cell shape in leaves of European aspen (Populus tremula)

Sijia Liu, Siamsa M. Doyle, Kathryn M. Robinson, et al.

Selected by 20 February 2026

Jeny Jose

Plant Biology

Also in the genetics category:

Remote homology and functional genetics unmask deeply preserved Scm3/HJURP orthologs in metazoans

Jeremy A. Hollis, Jason A. Stonick, Irini Topalidou, et al.

Selected by 21 April 2026

Reinier Prosee

Evolutionary Biology

Classical enhancers couple cis-regulatory logic with transcriptional condensates and 3D genome architecture

Ville Tiusanen, Divyesh Patel, Jihan Xia, et al.

Selected by 22 March 2026

Siddharth Singh

Cell Biology

Kosmos: An AI Scientist for Autonomous Discovery

Ludovico Mitchener, Angela Yiu, Benjamin Chang, et al.

Selected by 04 February 2026

Roberto Amadio et al.

Bioinformatics

Also in the molecular biology category:

Remote homology and functional genetics unmask deeply preserved Scm3/HJURP orthologs in metazoans

Jeremy A. Hollis, Jason A. Stonick, Irini Topalidou, et al.

Selected by 21 April 2026

Reinier Prosee

Evolutionary Biology

Exogenous Amyloid Sequences: Their Role in Amyloid-Beta Heterotypic Aggregation

Jofre Seira Curto, Sandra Villegas, Maria Rosario Fernandez, et al.

Selected by 15 April 2026

Cyntia Alves Conceição, Marcus Oliveira

Molecular Biology

Detergent-Triggered Membrane Remodelling Monitored via Intramembrane Fluorescence De-Quenching

Claudia M. F. Andrews, Christopher M. Hofmair, Lauryn Roberts, et al.

Selected by 25 March 2026

Cyntia Alves Conceição, Marcus Oliveira

Bioengineering

Also in the neuroscience category:

Prenatal Stress Differentially Shapes Adult Behavior in Male and Female Offspring

Erbo Dong, Alison Chu, Tamar Gur, et al.

Selected by 13 May 2026

Alice Gennevois et al.

Animal Behavior and Cognition

Consciously detecting and recognizing a past visual word after its sensory trace is gone

Daphné Rimsky Robert, Matteo Lisi, Kevin Nguy, et al.

Selected by 16 April 2026

Maitri Manjunath

Animal Behavior and Cognition

Exogenous Amyloid Sequences: Their Role in Amyloid-Beta Heterotypic Aggregation

Jofre Seira Curto, Sandra Villegas, Maria Rosario Fernandez, et al.

Selected by 15 April 2026

Cyntia Alves Conceição, Marcus Oliveira

Molecular Biology

Also in the pathology category:

Snake venom metalloproteinases are predominantly responsible for the cytotoxic effects of certain African viper venoms

Keirah E. Bartlett, Adam Westhorpe, Mark C. Wilkinson, et al.

Selected by 13 January 2026

Daniel Osorno Valencia

Pharmacology and Toxicology

Schistosoma haematobium DNA and Eggs in the Urine Sample of School-Age Children (SAC) in South-West Nigeria

Taiwo Mofadeke Jaiyeola, Folahanmi Tomiwa Akinsolu, Adesola Zaidat Musa, et al.

Selected by 24 November 2025

Hala Taha

Epidemiology

FUS Mislocalization Rewires a Cortical Gene Network to Drive 2 Cognitive and Behavioral Impairment in ALS

Raphaelle CASSEL, Félicie LORENC, Aurélie BOMBARDIER, et al.

Selected by 14 July 2025

Taylor Stolberg

Neuroscience

Also in the physiology category:

Resilience to cardiac aging in Greenland shark Somniosus microcephalus

Elena Chiavacci, Kirstine Fleng Steffensen, Pierre Delaroche, et al.

Selected by 17 February 2026

Theodora Stougiannou

Cell Biology

Trade-offs between surviving and thriving: A careful balance of physiological limitations and reproductive effort under thermal stress

David Hubert, Ehren Bentz, Robert T Mason

Selected by 16 January 2026

Tshepiso Majelantle

Zoology

Imaging cellular activity simultaneously across all organs of a vertebrate reveals body-wide circuits

Virginia M. S. Ruetten, Wei Zheng, Igor Siwanowicz, et al.

Selected by 12 December 2025

Muhammed Sinan Malik

Neuroscience