Patterning cells over time: an added dimension in development

The differentiation of cells is a fundamental aspect of developmental biology. Scientists from the lab of Luisa Cochella (IMP) have now found a novel mechanism that steers cell differentiation: patterns created not through spatial overlap of transcription factors, but through the combined action of transcription factors expressed at different times – even spanning multiple cell divisions. The findings are published in the current issue of the journal Developmental Cell.