Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a developmental genetic disorder. The characteristics of CdLS remain unexplored in the Chinese population. Now, a group of researchers from the National Center for Children’s Health, China, have examined the clinical presentations, mutational profiles, and hormonal therapy responses of Chinese children with CdLS. Mutations in three genes, correlation between mutations in a development-related gene and clinical presentations, and differential responses to hormone therapy were identified in Chinese patients.

Cancer cells provide healthy neighbouring cells with additional cell powerhouses to put them to work. This has been demonstrated by researchers at ETH Zurich in a new study. In this way, cancer is exploiting a mechanism that frequently serves to repair damaged cells.

Warwick primatologists, in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute, have shown that young orangutans develop their nighttime nest building skills via observational social learning - by closely watching others and then practicing these complex constructions.

Cellular differentiation of stem cells into specialized cells requires many steps, including division, fate determination and migration. Researchers describe signaling mechanisms that determine one such example of vertebrate development — the transition from olfactory stem cells into highly regenerative olfactory neurons that are responsible for the sense of smell.

Researchers at Rice University have developed a mathematical model that enhances our understanding of ovarian aging and the timing of menopause, revealing mechanisms that could inform future strategies for women’s health. A recent study published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters highlights the findings that the depletion of ovarian follicles, tiny functional units that contain immature eggs, follows a synchronized and predictable pattern that accelerates during midlife. This discovery helps explain why menopause typically occurs at similar ages for most women.