Germ cells (reproductive cells and their progenitors) give rise to the next generation in
sexually reproducing organisms. The loss or removal of germ cells often leads to sterility in …

The evolution of advanced cognition in vertebrates is associated with two independent
innovations in the forebrain: the six-layered neocortex in mammals and the dorsal …

Spiralians represent the least studied superclade of bilaterian animals, despite exhibiting
the widest diversity of organisms. Although spiralians include iconic organisms, such as …

During development, animals generate distinct cell populations with specific identities,
functions, and morphologies. We mapped transcriptionally distinct populations across …

The origin of the pentaradial body plan of echinoderms from a bilateral ancestor is one of the
most enduring zoological puzzles,. Because echinoderms are defined by morphological …

Many annelids can regenerate missing body parts or reproduce asexually, generating all
cell types in adult stages. However, the putative adult stem cell populations involved in these …

Octopuses are mollusks that have evolved intricate neural systems comparable with
vertebrates in terms of cell number, complexity and size. The brain cell types that control …

Locomotion requires precise control of the strength and speed of muscle contraction and is
achieved by recruiting functionally distinct subtypes of motor neurons (MNs). MNs are …

Cell types with specialized functions fundamentally regulate animal behaviour, and yet the
genetic mechanisms that underlie the emergence of novel cell types and their …

Background How novel phenotypes originate from conserved genes, processes, and tissues
remains a major question in biology. Research that sets out to answer this question often …