{"title":"Long-term confinement triggers RIPK3-independent necroptosis in amoeboid cancer cells to shape tumor evolution","authors":"Wei Zhang,Ya-Jun Wang,Chunman Zuo,Junyi He,Xuying Ma,Haoran Wu,Bao-Qiong Lan,Dehui Kong,Luonan Chen,Gang Wei,Na Yang,Yuandi Fu,Dan Liu,Yan-Jun Liu,Liming Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.devcel.2026.09.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2026.09.003","url":null,"abstract":"The mesenchymal-amoeboid transition (MAT) enhances cancer cell migration and therapy resistance during dissemination through mechanically confined spaces. Using an in vitro MAT induction system combining physical confinement with a non-adhesive environment to mimic interstitial migration, we introduce “long-term MAT” (L-MAT) to describe cells sustaining MAT under prolonged pressure and show that L-MAT triggers receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3)-independent necroptosis. Mechanistically, the PIEZO1-STAT1 axis upregulates mixed lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase (MLKL), whose membrane accumulation drives necroptosis in cells otherwise resistant to death-receptor signaling. Before membrane rupture, L-MAT cells show progressive migration restriction; MLKL-knockout cells bypass this checkpoint and persist as surviving clones. Spatial transcriptomics of patient tumors shows MLKL expression correlates with PIEZO1 activation and immunogenicity in less aggressive regions, while advanced malignant and metastatic clones show reduced MLKL. These findings establish MLKL as a conditional tumor checkpoint and identify the PIEZO1-STAT1-MLKL axis as a predictive biomarker and therapeutic target.","PeriodicalId":11157,"journal":{"name":"Developmental cell","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149172374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Ca2+ sensor-transcription factor cascade regulates cell-wall fortification and broad-spectrum disease resistance in rice","authors":"Han Lu,Zian Ye,Yonglin Wu,Yuxin Fan,Yangxuan Liu,Xianmiao Zhu,Xi Zhang,Kui Li,Lingna Shangguan,Jingyi Wang,Weixuan Cui,Tianyi Ji,Shuai Tao,Xinxin Xie,Jiyun Liu,Yunjun Zhao,Weibing Yang,Ying Wang,Zuhua He,Mingjun Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.devcel.2026.09.006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2026.09.006","url":null,"abstract":"Crop production is persistently threatened by a multitude of destructive diseases. In rice, the Ca2+ sensor RESISTANCE OF RICE TO DISEASES1 (ROD1) is a key regulator of defense against major pathogens, including those causing blast, sheath blight, and bacterial blight. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying ROD1-mediated immune suppression remain largely elusive. Here, we characterize an immune signaling cascade comprising the B3-domain transcription factor OsVAL2, the DOF transcription factor OsDOF3, as well as their downstream target OsCSE encoding a caffeoyl shikimate esterase. We demonstrate that the OsVAL2-OsDOF3-OsCSE module promotes lignin deposition and cell-wall fortification to confer broad-spectrum disease resistance. ROD1 interacts with and sequesters OsVAL2 in the cytoplasm, thereby preventing its nuclear accumulation and subsequent initiation of this immune program. Our findings reveal a spatiotemporal regulatory mechanism that maintains immune homeostasis, highlighting the crucial role of cell-wall remodeling in crop disease resistance.","PeriodicalId":11157,"journal":{"name":"Developmental cell","volume":"53 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149090104","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Self-organizing human dual neural organoids model regional disease defects and teratogenicity","authors":"Xiaoxiang Lu,Siyuan Chu,Jianfeng Wei,Jinkui Zhu,Wei Zhou,Yantong Liu,Xurui Feng,Xinrui Zhang,Mengqian Wang,Mingjuan Li,Jie Gao,Linlin Jiang,Wei Pang,Yao Yin,Ziling Chen,Yajing Cao,Qinzhi Zhang,Sisi Chen,Shaojie Ma,Yangfei Xiang","doi":"10.1016/j.devcel.2026.08.013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2026.08.013","url":null,"abstract":"The human nervous system emerges during early embryogenesis through coordinated, self-organizing differentiation of peripheral and central lineages. A key event in this process is the emergence of neural crest from the dorsal neural tube, which gives rise to major peripheral nervous system (PNS) structures. However, current in vitro models face challenges in recapitulating this process, limiting mechanistic insights into human central-peripheral neurogenesis. Here, we report a method for generating human peripheral-central dual neural organoids (hPCOs), a self-organizing organoid system that recapitulates the co-development of peripheral sensory ganglia and dorsal spinal cord. Using hPCOs, we uncover an unexpected bidirectional role of Wnt signaling in orchestrating peripheral and central fate determination. Modeling with hPCOs reveals nociceptor defects in human congenital insensitivity to pain. Furthermore, integrating hPCOs with image analysis enables the visual assessment of teratogenic risks. Together, hPCOs provide a physiologically relevant platform for investigating human self-organized central nervous system (CNS)-PNS co-development, disease mechanisms, and drug discovery.","PeriodicalId":11157,"journal":{"name":"Developmental cell","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148993763","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Developmental cellPub Date : 2026-09-09DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2026.08.007
Takato Imaizumi
{"title":"Slowing down on hot days: How morning PRR9 controls the pace of the plant circadian clock","authors":"Takato Imaizumi","doi":"10.1016/j.devcel.2026.08.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2026.08.007","url":null,"abstract":"The circadian clock maintains a nearly constant pace across a wide range of temperatures in plants. In this issue of Developmental Cell, He et al. reveal how condensation of the morning clock protein PRR9 and its protein-protein interactions mediate high temperature sensing and adjust the pace of the circadian clock.","PeriodicalId":11157,"journal":{"name":"Developmental cell","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148908796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Developmental cellPub Date : 2026-09-09DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2026.08.011
Bruce D. Murphy
{"title":"Nodal/Smad2 signaling maintains diapause in the mouse embryo","authors":"Bruce D. Murphy","doi":"10.1016/j.devcel.2026.08.011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2026.08.011","url":null,"abstract":"Embryonic diapause is a reversible dormant state that allows mammalian blastocysts to survive periods of environmental or metabolic stress. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Furlan et al.1 report that Nodal/Smad2 signaling sustains diapause by repressing Pparg-driven lipid storage in the blastocyst.","PeriodicalId":11157,"journal":{"name":"Developmental cell","volume":"164 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148908793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Developmental cellPub Date : 2026-09-09DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2026.08.010
Yue Qin,Duanqing Pei
{"title":"Protein turnover rate sets the developmental clock","authors":"Yue Qin,Duanqing Pei","doi":"10.1016/j.devcel.2026.08.010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2026.08.010","url":null,"abstract":"In this issue of Developmental Cell, Matsuda et al.1 and Nakanoh et al.2 reveal that global protein turnover rate controls species-specific developmental clocks. Their findings demonstrate how translation and degradation rates regulate embryonic timing, raising the possibility that cells directly sense developmental progression through their metabolic state.","PeriodicalId":11157,"journal":{"name":"Developmental cell","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148908794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}