Cytoplasmic Intermediate Filaments in Cell Biology.

Intermediate filaments (IFs) are one of the three major elements of the cytoskeleton. Their stability, intrinsic mechanical properties, and cell type-specific expression patterns distinguish them from actin and microtubules. By providing mechanical support, IFs protect cells from external forces and participate in cell adhesion and tissue integrity. IFs form an extensive and elaborate network that connects the cell cortex to intracellular organelles. They act as a molecular scaffold that controls intracellular organization. However, IFs have been revealed as much more than just rigid structures. Their dynamics is regulated by multiple signaling cascades and appears to contribute to signaling events in response to cell stress and to dynamic cellular functions such as mitosis, apoptosis, and migration.

iPS Cells 10 Years Later.

In 2006, Takahashi and Yamanaka reported the breakthrough discovery of induction of pluripotent stem cells from fibroblasts by a combination of defined factors. Ten years later, Cell editor João Monteiro brings together Shinya Yamanaka and Hans Schöler, one the original reviewers of the landmark study, to revisit the history behind the paper and its long-lasting legacy.

Technological advances in super-resolution microscopy to study cellular processes.

Since its initial demonstration in 2000, far-field super-resolution light microscopy has undergone tremendous technological developments. In parallel, these developments have opened a new window into visualizing the inner life of cells at unprecedented levels of detail. Here, we review the technical details behind the most common implementations of super-resolution microscopy and highlight some of the recent, promising advances in this field.

Siri of the cell: what biology could learn from the iPhone.

Modern genomics is very efficient at mapping genes and gene networks, but how to transform these maps into predictive models of the cell remains unclear. Recent progress in computer science, embodied by intelligent agents such as Siri, inspires an approach for moving from networks to multiscale models able to predict a range of cellular phenotypes and answer biological questions.

Faculty searches get a facelift.

Hiring committees address the glut of highly qualified applicants for faculty positions by experimenting with new evaluation methods and adapting their expectations for today's increasingly competitive academic environment.

Evaluating phase separation in live cells: diagnosis, caveats, and functional consequences.

The idea that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) may be a general mechanism by which molecules in the complex cellular milieu may self-organize has generated much excitement and fervor in the cell biology community. While this concept is not new, its rise to preeminence has resulted in renewed interest in the mechanisms that shape and drive diverse cellular self-assembly processes from gene expression to cell division to stress responses. In vitro biochemical data have been instrumental in deriving some of the fundamental principles and molecular grammar by which biological molecules may phase separate, and the molecular basis of these interactions. Definitive evidence is lacking as to whether the same principles apply in the physiological environment inside living cells. In this Perspective, we analyze the evidence supporting phase separation in vivo across multiple cellular processes. We find that the evidence for in vivo LLPS is often phenomenological and inadequate to discriminate between phase separation and other possible mechanisms. Moreover, the causal relationship and functional consequences of LLPS in vivo are even more elusive. We underscore the importance of performing quantitative measurements on proteins in their endogenous state and physiological abundance, as well as make recommendations for experiments that may yield more conclusive results.

Beyond a pedagogical tool: 30 years of Molecular biology of the cell.

In 1983, a bulky and profusely illustrated textbook on molecular and cell biology began to inhabit the shelves of university libraries worldwide. The effect of capturing the eyes and souls of biologists was immediate as the book provided them with a new and invigorating outlook on what cells are and what they do.

A decade of molecular cell biology: achievements and challenges.

Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology celebrated its 10-year anniversary during this past year with a series of specially commissioned articles. To complement this, here we have asked researchers from across the field for their insights into how molecular cell biology research has evolved during this past decade, the key concepts that have emerged and the most promising interfaces that have developed. Their comments highlight the broad impact that particular advances have had, some of the basic understanding that we still require, and the collaborative approaches that will be essential for driving the field forward.

The evolving concept of cell identity in the single cell era.

Fueled by recent advances in single cell biology, we are moving away from qualitative and undersampled assessments of cell identity, toward building quantitative, high-resolution cell atlases. However, it remains challenging to precisely define cell identity, leading to renewed debate surrounding this concept. Here, I present three pillars that I propose are central to the notion of cell identity: phenotype, lineage and state. I explore emerging technologies that are enabling the systematic and unbiased quantification of these properties, and outline how these efforts will enable the construction of a high-resolution, dynamic landscape of cell identity, potentially revealing its underlying molecular regulation to provide new opportunities for understanding and manipulating cell fate.

Asymmetric cell division: recent developments and their implications for tumour biology.

The ability of cells to divide asymmetrically is essential for generating diverse cell types during development. The past 10 years have seen tremendous progress in our understanding of this important biological process. We have learned that localized phosphorylation events are responsible for the asymmetric segregation of cell fate determinants in mitosis and that centrosomes and microtubules play important parts in this process. The relevance of asymmetric cell division for stem cell biology has added a new dimension to the field, and exciting connections between asymmetric cell division and tumorigenesis have begun to emerge.

The intracellular pathogen concept.

The intracellular pathogen concept classifies pathogenic microbes on the basis of their site of replication and dependence on host cells. This concept played a fundamental role in establishing the field of cellular microbiology, founded in part by Dr. Pascale Cossart, whose seminal contributions are honored in this issue of Molecular Microbiology. The recognition that microbes can access and replicate in privileged compartments within host cells has led to many new and fruitful lines of investigation into the biology of the cell and mechanisms of cell-mediated immunity. However, like any scientific concept, the intracellular pathogen concept can become a dogma that constrains thinking and oversimplifies complex and dynamic host-pathogen interactions. Growing evidence has blurred the distinction between "intracellular" and "extracellular" pathogens and demonstrated that many pathogens can exist both within and outside of cells. Although the intracellular pathogen concept remains useful, it should not be viewed as a rigid classification of pathogenic microbes, which exhibit remarkable variation and complexity in their behavior in the host.

Meeting report - Building the Cell 2018.

Cell biologists from all around the world gathered in Paris on the 26 to 28 September 2018 to participate in the 3rd international meeting 'Building the Cell'. It was organized by Hélène Barelli, Arnaud Echard, Thierry Galli, Florence Niedergang, Manuel Théry and Marie Hélène Verlhac on behalf of the French Society for Cell Biology (SBCF) at the Institut Pasteur. Around 230 participants joined the meeting for stimulating talks, discussions, poster sessions, and a gala dinner on the Seine that included a music performance by the rock group 'Membrane Band'. The unifying theme of the meeting was the development of creative multidisciplinary approaches to understand cellular life at different scales in a dynamic and quantitative manner. Here, we summarize the results presented at the meeting and the emerging ideas from the different sessions.

Meeting report - Dynamic Cell III.

Dynamic Cell III, a meeting jointly organized by the British Society of Cell Biology (BSCB) and the Biochemical Society, took place at the Manchester Conference Centre, Manchester, UK in March 2018. It brought together a diverse group of scientists from around the world, all with a shared interest in understanding how dynamic functions of the cell are fulfilled. A particular focus was the regulation of the cytoskeleton: in cell division, cell migration and cell-cell interactions. Moreover, a key theme that ran through all presented work was the development of new and exciting technologies to study dynamic cell behaviour.

Biomimicry of Cellular Motility and Communication Based on Synthetic Soft-Architectures.

Cells, sophisticated membrane-bound units that contain the fundamental molecules of life, provide a precious library for inspiration and motivation for both society and academia. Scientists from various disciplines have made great endeavors toward the understanding of the cellular evolution by engineering artificial counterparts (protocells) that mimic or initiate structural or functional cellular aspects. In this regard, several works have discussed possible building blocks, designs, functions, or dynamics that can be applied to achieve this goal. Although great progress has been made, fundamental-yet complex-behaviors such as cellular communication, responsiveness to environmental cues, and motility remain a challenge, yet to be resolved. Herein, recent efforts toward utilizing soft systems for cellular mimicry are summarized-following the main outline of cellular evolution, from basic compartmentalization, and biological reactions for energy production, to motility and communicative behaviors between artificial cell communities or between artificial and natural cell communities. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives in the field are discussed, hoping to inspire more future research and to help the further advancement of this field.