AT A GLANCE
- Hypothalamic circuits regulating appetite and energy homeostasis: pathways to obesity
Summary: This at a glance article gives an overview of the recent knowledge mainly derived from rodent models regarding the CNS-dependent regulation of energy and glucose homeostasis, and depicts how dysregulation of the involved neuronal networks promotes overnutrition and obesity.
REVIEW
- Induced pluripotent stem cell models of lysosomal storage disorders
Summary: This Review discusses how induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide new opportunities to explore the biology and pathophysiology of lysosomal storage diseases, and how iPSCs have illuminated the role of lysosomes in more common disorders.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
- SlgA, encoded by the homolog of the human schizophrenia-associated gene PRODH, acts in clock neurons to regulate Drosophila aggression
Editors' choice: A Drosophila model to study the role of PRODH, a schizophrenia-associated gene, in behavioral disorders.
- Dietary reversal of neuropathy in a murine model of prediabetes and metabolic syndrome
Summary: A mouse model of metabolic syndrome can be used to investigate peripheral nerve damage, enabling the development of mechanism-based therapies for neuropathy.
- Paneth-cell-disruption-induced necrotizing enterocolitis in mice requires live bacteria and occurs independently of TLR4 signaling
Summary: Paneth cell disruption and bacterial exposure in immature murine intestine induces NEC-like pathology. Importantly, this occurs independently of TLR4 activation, presenting an alternative mechanism for disease development.
- Characterization of Drosophila Saposin-related mutants as a model for lysosomal sphingolipid storage diseases
Summary: Detailed analysis of lipid accumulation, lysosomal dysfunction and neurodegeneration in a Drosophila sphingolipidosis model, suitable for studying the resulting pathological signaling events.
- Upregulation of distinct collagen transcripts in post-surgery scar tissue: a study of conjunctival fibrosis
Summary: As well as providing an objective quantitative measure, distinct collagen genes may further aid in the characterization and definition of the development of fibrosis.
- A Drosophila model of dominant inclusion body myopathy type 3 shows diminished myosin kinetics that reduce muscle power and yield myofibrillar defects
Summary: Reduced muscle power output and progressive myofibrillar defects in a Drosophila model of inclusion body myopathy 3 arise from the decreased rate of weak to strong actin-binding transition of myosin.
- A mouse model for inherited renal fibrosis associated with endoplasmic reticulum stress
Summary: A mouse model for renal fibrosis caused by uromodulin mutations reveals roles for ER stress and the unfolded protein response.
- Progesterone induces neuroprotection following reperfusion-promoted mitochondrial dysfunction after focal cerebral ischemia in rats
Summary: Progesterone treatment is beneficial in preserving the altered mitochondrial functions in cerebral ischemic injury and thus can help in defining better therapies.
RESOURCE ARTICLES
- A classification system for zebrafish adipose tissues
Summary: A standardized nomenclature and classification system for zebrafish adipose tissues and regression models to predict expected adipose size during the course of zebrafish development.
- A rapid and effective method for screening, sequencing and reporter verification of engineered frameshift mutations in zebrafish
Summary: A new CRISPR/Cas9-based method of fluorescent reporter technology in zebrafish to confirm loss of gene function in this model.
This issue
Other journals from The Company of Biologists
First person – Zhaoyang, Omkara, Christine and Yong
Catch up with our first authors in the latest interviews. Zhaoyang Liu, Omkara Lakshmi Veeranki, Christine Lehner and Yong Chen discuss the implications of their research, life as an early-career researcher and their next steps.
A new resource article by Dipen Maru's group describes a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft model of gastroesphageal cancer that maintains the morphological and molecular characteristics of the source tumour.
There are still funded places available for early-career researchers at July’s Workshop on inflammaging and regeneration! The deadline for applications is 14 February. We’re also interested to hear your ideas for Workshops – find out more about how we can provide support.
The first preLight of 2020 and the first time we’ve highlighted a medRxiv preprint! Zhang-He Goh discusses a new preprint by Witte et al. assessing the correlation between ovarian cancer patient-derived organoids and patients’ clinical response to chemotherapeutics.
Cover article – Regulation of terminal hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation in Prmt5 mutant mice modeling infantile idiopathic scoliosis
On the cover, research by Liu et al. demonstrates that the loss of Prmt5 osteochondral progenitors impairs terminal hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation, leading to defects in endochondral bone formation and models infantile idiopathic scoliosis in mouse.