embryology

Using stem cells and a bioreactor, researchers generated living embryos that survived for more than a week and began to develop internal organs.

The primitive streak, a structure that emerges during mammalian and avian gastrulation, might be a byproduct rather than a landmark of the embryonic development process.

Wolpert, who conducted research at University College London, was known for his work on morphogenesis and pattern development in embryos and for his multiple books and broadcast appearances.

Actin rings seal off the ball of cells, aiding in implantation in the uterus. But faults in the process could explain why some pregnancies fail.

How actin seals embryos early in development

The finding confirms that a cluster of cells that directs the fate of other cells in the developing embryo is evolutionarily conserved across the animal kingdom.

Looking back, looking forward

As it matures, this chromatophore-clad pyjama squid (Sepioloidea lineolata) hatchling will learn to use the color-changing cells that adorn its body to alter its appearance.

This fluttering clump of colorful cells is a zebrafish embryo, visualized by many stacked images.

The 19th century biologist’s drawings, tainted by scandal, helped bolster, then later dismiss, his biogenetic law.

Andrzej Tarkowski’s research laid the groundwork for future advances in cloning, stem cell research, and in vitro fertilization.

Differences between cultures used for in vitro fertilization techniques can impact fertility and offspring health, researchers report.

14-day-old embryos, prioritizing biodiversity, and more

There’s beauty in a cell’s marriage of structure and function.

Zebrafish are showing the way to new insights in cancer research.

Watch the cell transplant experiments in zebrafish that suggest certain embryonic cells rely on intrinsic directional cues for collective migration.

Meet some of the people featured in the November 2012 issue of The Scientist.

From basic research to beneficial therapies