An early Drosophila embryo captured during a wave of nuclear division. Dividing nuclei (blue) and non-dividing nuclei (pink) illustrate the rapid, highly organised nature of early development and the ...

Cellular traffic jams inside a fruit fly embryo might sound like a minor detail, but new work suggests they help flip a fundamental genetic switch. As cells pack together during early development, ...

A small tissue fold in fly embryos, once thought purposeless, plays a vital role in stabilizing tissues. Researchers show that it absorbs stress during early development, and its position and timing ...

Is there only one optimal configuration an organism can reach during evolution? Is there a single formula that describes the trajectory towards the optimum? And can we 'derive' it in a purely ...

Small fold – big role: A tissue fold known as the cephalic furrow, an evolutionary novelty that forms between the head and the trunk of fly embryos, plays a mechanical role in stabilizing embryonic ...