Developmental/Reproductive Biology

Competition between nerve fibers for space in rodent brains shapes complex circuits called 'whisker barrels', providing new clues about the role of genes in brain developmentCredit: James et al. (CC BY 4.0) Complex brain circuits…

Findings show even small doses of insecticides reduce capacity of insects to surviveCredit: Florienne Loder, Bio21 Institute, the University of Melbourne New research has identified a mechanism by which low levels of insecticides such…

Credit: Tane Sinclair Taylor. Scientists say a 'portfolio' of protected areas within marine parks such as the Great Barrier Reef can help secure sustainable fish populations. Dr Hugo Harrison from the ARC Centre of Excellence…

Credit: Valk/ MPI CBS The location of a country on the earth says a lot about its climate, its neighboring countries, and the resources that might be found there. The location therefore determines what kind of country you would…

Credit: Cian J. Lynch, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) Spain Cell plasticity is a property by which a cell can take on different and reversible identities. Cell plasticity is also essential for embryo…

Zebrafish embryos elucidate unknown effect for cercosporamideCredit: Jelmer Hoeksma, copyright Hubrecht Institute Researchers in the group of Jeroen den Hertog, in collaboration with researchers in Leiden, have found that a compound…

An international team of scientists studying shorebirds, led by the University of Bath, has found that successful plover parents are more likely to divorce after nesting than those that did not successfully breed, in contrast to most…

Credit: Katja Peijnenburg, Erica Goetze, Deborah Wall-Palmer, Lisette Mekkes. Two groups of tiny, delicate marine organisms, sea butterflies and sea angels, were found to be surprisingly resilient--having survived dramatic global…

The first stages of placental development take place days before the embryo starts to form in human pregnancies. The finding highlights the importance of healthy placental development in pregnancy, and could lead to future improvements in…

Being held by a parent with skin-to-skin contact reduces how strongly a newborn baby's brain responds to a painful medical jab, finds a new study led by researchers at UCL and York University, Canada. The scientists report in the…

Adults conceived through sperm donation reported higher frequencies of allergies, type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune conditions in a world-first study that examined the long term health outcomes of donor-conceived peopleCredit: Flinders…

In mice, the maternal gut microbiata regulates which genes are activated in the growing brain, UCLA study showsCredit: Reed Hutchinson/UCLA During pregnancy in mice, the billions of bacteria and other microbes that live in a mother's…

Report: Combination increases brain damage and development riskCredit: Houston University of Houston researchers have found that during early pregnancy, the mix of alcohol and nicotine significantly alters the gene regulatory…

The findings are reported as use of cannabis during pregnancy has 'skyrocketed' While cannabis use during pregnancy is on the rise, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have found evidence that the resulting children are more…

Researchers from the University of Tsukuba identify the protein PRMT1 as a key regulator of glial cell function during postnatal brain development Tsukuba, Japan - Normal brain development requires a precise interplay between neuronal and…

Pollution particles, including metals, have been found in the placentas of fifteen women in London, according to research led by Queen Mary University of LondonCredit: QMUL Pollution particles, including metals, have been found…

Pre-clinical study suggests virus does not stay in the lungs but spreads throughout the mother's bodyCredit: RMIT University New research helps explain why flu can lead to life-threatening complications during pregnancy, suggesting the…

Credit: Gabriel Ugueto Confuciusornis was a crow-like fossil bird that lived in the Cretaceous ~120 million years ago. It was one of the first birds to evolve a beak (Fig. 1). Early beak evolution remains understudied.…

Strong opposite-sex bonds linked to better chances of survivalCredit: Photo by Susan Alberts, Duke University DURHAM, N.C. -- Close bonds with the opposite sex can have non-romantic benefits. And not just for people, but for our…

Male chimpanzees who lose their mother early in life are less competitive and have fewer offspring than sons who continue to live with their mothersCredit: Liran Samuni, Tai Chimpanzee Project Researchers observed three chimpanzee…