The puzzle of how complex nervous systems emerged remains unsolved. Comparative
studies of neurodevelopment in cnidarians and bilaterians suggest that this process began …

Reverse genetics and next‐generation sequencing unlocked a new era in biology. It is now
possible to identify an animal (s) with the unique biology most relevant to a particular …

The emergence and diversification of cell types is a leading factor in animal evolution. So
far, systematic characterization of the gene regulatory programs associated with cell type …

Communication in bilaterian nervous systems is mediated by electrical and secreted signals;
however, the evolutionary origin and relation of neurons to other secretory cell types has not …

Reef-building corals are critically important species that are threatened by anthropogenic
stresses including climate change. In attempts to understand corals' responses to stress and …

Ctenophores have traditionally been treated as eumetazoans, but some recent whole
genome studies have revived the idea that they are, rather, the sister group to all other …

Bilaterality–the possession of two orthogonal body axes–is the name-giving trait of all
bilaterian animals. These body axes are established during early embryogenesis and serve …

Sensory cells that detect mechanical forces usually have one or more specialized cilia.
These mechanosensory cells underlie hearing, proprioception or gravity sensation. To date …

Neurogenesis initiates during early development and it continues through later
developmental stages and in adult animals to enable expansion, remodeling, and …

Among non-bilaterian animals, a larval apical sensory organ with integrated neurons is only
found in cnidarians. Within cnidarians, an apical organ with a ciliary tuft is mainly found in …