@article{21752,
  abstract     = {Epithelial tissues function as multicellular communities that preserve tissue integrity while adapting to diverse environmental stresses by altering cell behaviors. A striking manifestation of such adaptability is cell plasticity, the ability of differentiated cells to revert to stem-like states or adopt alternative fates. Once considered rare and confined to highly regenerative species, cell plasticity is now recognized across the metazoan tree. In early-branching animals such as sponges and cnidarians, transdifferentiation and dedifferentiation are integral to life-cycle transitions and regeneration, whereas in more complex organisms, these processes typically emerge under stress, including stem cell loss or environmental perturbations. Here, we examine epithelial cell plasticity through evolutionary, cellular, and molecular perspectives. Focusing on the intestinal epithelium, we explore findings from mammalian and Drosophila models showing that progenitors and even terminally differentiated cells can dedifferentiate in response to external stimuli that disrupt homeostasis, such as pathogen infection and nutrient fluctuations. We further discuss conserved mechanisms involving intercellular signaling (e.g., Notch, EGFR, and JAK-STAT) and chromatin states primed for reprogramming, modulated by metabolic cues. Together, these insights position cell plasticity as an ancient environmental adaptation strategy, shaped by conserved molecular toolkits and refined by species- and cell lineage-specific innovations.},
  author       = {Nagai, Hiroki and Nakajima, Yu Ichiro},
  issn         = {1096-3634},
  journal      = {Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology},
  publisher    = {Elsevier},
  title        = {{Epithelial cell plasticity in metazoans: Evolutionary insights into roles and mechanisms}},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.semcdb.2026.103670},
  volume       = {179-180},
  year         = {2026},
}

@article{20349,
  abstract     = {Oogenesis – the formation and development of an oocyte – is fundamental to reproduction and embryonic development. Due to its accessibility to genetic manipulations and the ability to culture and experimentally manipulate oocytes ex vivo, zebrafish has emerged as a powerful vertebrate model system for studying oogenesis. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of zebrafish oogenesis, from early germ cell formation to oocyte maturation and fertilization. We discuss recent advances in uncovering the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving this complex process and highlight key knowledge gaps that remain to be addressed.},
  author       = {Hofmann, Laura and Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp J},
  issn         = {1096-3634},
  journal      = {Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology},
  publisher    = {Elsevier},
  title        = {{Decoding zebrafish oogenesis: From primordial germ cell development to fertilization}},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.semcdb.2025.103650},
  volume       = {175},
  year         = {2025},
}

@article{12162,
  abstract     = {Homeostatic balance in the intestinal epithelium relies on a fast cellular turnover, which is coordinated by an intricate interplay between biochemical signalling, mechanical forces and organ geometry. We review recent modelling approaches that have been developed to understand different facets of this remarkable homeostatic equilibrium. Existing models offer different, albeit complementary, perspectives on the problem. First, biomechanical models aim to explain the local and global mechanical stresses driving cell renewal as well as tissue shape maintenance. Second, compartmental models provide insights into the conditions necessary to keep a constant flow of cells with well-defined ratios of cell types, and how perturbations can lead to an unbalance of relative compartment sizes. A third family of models address, at the cellular level, the nature and regulation of stem fate choices that are necessary to fuel cellular turnover. We also review how these different approaches are starting to be integrated together across scales, to provide quantitative predictions and new conceptual frameworks to think about the dynamics of cell renewal in complex tissues.},
  author       = {Corominas-Murtra, Bernat and Hannezo, Edouard B},
  issn         = {1084-9521},
  journal      = {Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology},
  keywords     = {Cell Biology, Developmental Biology},
  pages        = {58--65},
  publisher    = {Elsevier},
  title        = {{Modelling the dynamics of mammalian gut homeostasis}},
  doi          = {10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.11.005},
  volume       = {150-151},
  year         = {2023},
}

@article{4148,
  abstract     = {Members of the Wnt family have been implicated in a variety of developmental processes including axis formation, Patterning of the central nervous system and tissue morphogenesis. Recent studies have shown that a Wnt signalling pathway similar to that involved in the establishment of planar cell polarity in Drosophila regulates convergent extension movements during zebrafish and Xenopus gastrulation. This finding provides a good starting point to dissect the complex cell biology and genetic regulation of vertebrate gastrulation movements.},
  author       = {Tada, Masazumi and Concha, Miguel and Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp J},
  issn         = {1084-9521},
  journal      = {Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology},
  number       = {3},
  pages        = {251 -- 260},
  publisher    = {Academic Press},
  title        = {{Non-canonical Wnt signalling and regulation of gastrulation movements}},
  doi          = {10.1016/S1084-9521(02)00052-6},
  volume       = {13},
  year         = {2002},
}

@article{4196,
  abstract     = {During vertebrate gastrulation, large cellular rearrangements lead to the formation of the three germ layers, ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. Zebrafish offer many genetic and experimental advantages for studying vertebrate gastrulation movements. For instance, several mutants, including silberblick, knypek and trilobite, exhibit defects in morphogenesis during gastrulation. The identification of the genes mutated in these lines together with the analysis of the mutant phenotypes has provided new insights into the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie vertebrate gastrulation movements.},
  author       = {Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp J and Tada, Masazumi},
  issn         = {1084-9521},
  journal      = {Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology},
  number       = {6},
  pages        = {471 -- 479},
  publisher    = {Academic Press},
  title        = {{Zebrafish gastrulation movements: bridging cell and developmental biology}},
  doi          = {10.1016/S1084952102001003},
  volume       = {13},
  year         = {2002},
}