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Making leaves and sepals

November 3, 2025

Making leaves and sepals

Arabidopsis leaf epidermal cells have a wide range of sizes and ploidies, but the mechanisms patterning their size and spatial distribution remain unclear. Frances Clark, Gauthier Weissbart, Xihang Wang, Pau Formosa-Jordan, Adrienne Roeder and colleagues show that the pathway controlling giant cell formation in sepals also controls cell size in Arabidopsis leaves, and that a cell-autonomous and stochastic specification leads to a non-random cellular pattern.

Image credit: pbio.3003469

PLOS Biologue

Community blog for PLOS Biology, PLOS Genetics and PLOS Computational Biology.

PLOS BIOLOGUE

11/04/2025

Short Reports

Zebrafish muscle contraction has no need for Na+ channels

Mammalian muscle fiber contractions require voltage-gated Na+ channels, and this has been assumed to be universal. Léa Demesmay, Romane Idoux, Sophie Nicole, Bruno Allard and co-workers show that zebrafish fast muscle fibers do not require these channels and suggest how anatomical and physiological differences from mouse muscles can ensure efficient contraction.

Image credit: pbio.3003484

Zebrafish muscle contraction has no need for Na+ channels

Recently Published Articles

Current Issue

Current Issue October 2025

11/04/2025

Research Article

Master regulators of ectoderm germ layer specification

Pluripotent cells acquire lineage-specific identities during germ layer specification, but the mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. Clark Hendrickson, Ken Cho and co-authors show that the maternal transcription factors Foxi2 and Sox3 act as master regulators of ectodermal germ layer specification in Xenopus, ensuring the robust and precise expression of target genes.

Image credit: pbio.3003476

Master regulators of ectoderm germ layer specification

11/04/2025

Short Reports

Hyperoxia does not rescue marine life from heat

Oxygen supersaturation in aquatic ecosystems has been proposed to buffer against heat stress in water-breathing animals. Graham Raby, Fredrik Jutfelt and colleagues re-examine this question in a diverse panel of aquatic ectotherms, showing that hyperoxia has minimal impact on thermal tolerance. Don't miss the accompanying Primer by Diana Madeira.

Image credit: pbio.3003413

Hyperoxia does not rescue marine life from heat

11/04/2025

Research Article

Histamine, activity and visual processing

How does an animal’s internal state influence early visual processing? Matteo Tripodi and Hiroki Asari show that histaminergic signaling from the hypothalamus modulates retinal and thalamic responses in mice, revealing how low histamine levels during periods of reduced activity may aid rapid responses to visual threats. Also read the related Primer by Dominic Gonschorek and Thomas Euler.

Histamine, activity and visual processing

Image credit: pbio.3003406

11/03/2025

Short Reports

Evolution of leaf masquerade in katydids

The evolution of complex adaptations often involves synergistic changes in multiple traits that lack standalone function. Benito Wainwright, Nathan Bailey and co-workers reveal that leaf masquerade in katydids evolved through concurrent modifications in wing colour and shape, demonstrating how evolutionary synergy can drive the emergence of highly specialized, multi-component traits in nature.

Evolution of leaf masquerade in katydids

Image credit: pbio.3003468

11/03/2025

Short Reports

Ancient sex-determination in bees and ants

Haplodiploid inheritance, in which females are diploid and males are haploid, is found in all species of Hymenoptera. Tilman Rönneburg, Matthew Webster and co-authors map the sex-determining gene of the solitary bee Osmia bicornis to a region overlapping the ANTSR gene, suggesting a shared, ancient origin of sex determination in bees and ants >150 million years ago.


Ancient sex-determination in bees and ants

Image credit: Marie Louise Huskens

10/30/2025

Perspective

Better understanding of lab animal genetics

Incomplete characterization and inconsistent reporting of lab animal genetics undermine research reproducibility. This Perspective highlights the LAG-R guidelines and calls for collective action to enhance scientific integrity.

Better understanding of lab animal genetics

Image credit: Lydia Teboul

10/22/2025

Essay

Mitochondrial dynamics and cancer therapy

Mitochondrial dynamics are important regulators of various cancer cell phenotypes. This Essay discusses the role of mitochondrial dynamic regulators in tumor growth and metastasis and explores how they can be targeted therapeutically.

Mitochondrial dynamics and cancer therapy

Image credit: pbio.3003453

10/21/2025

Community Page

Wrapping up science projects quickly

Science projects are designed and funded on the scale of years, so what happens when you need to finish prematurely? This Community Page discusses solutions for finalizing partially finished projects.

Wrapping up science projects quickly

Image credit: Unsplash user Mantas Hesthaven

10/21/2025

Essay

Microglia in neurodegenerative disease

Disease-associated microglia are a distinct, conserved microglial state. This Essay discusses the dynamics, origins and therapeutic potential of these microglia in neurodegeneration.

Microglia in neurodegenerative disease

Image credit: pbio.3003426

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