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Lymphatic vessels invade bone in disease but are absent in health and regeneration Multiple lines of evidence argue against the presence of LECs inside bone during homeostasis or repair after injury, in contrast to a previous study published in Cell (Biswas et al. 2023). Instead, LECs actively invade bone in disease models of GLA/GSD. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00639-2?rss=yes cell.com
Neurodegeneration as a dysregulation of neuroimmune crosstalk This perspective provides an overview of the growing literature on the role of the immune system in driving neurodegeneration and argues that restoring neuroimmune dialogue, rather than simply clearing protein aggregates, is the next frontier for therapeutic development. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00813-5?rss=yes cell.com
Multimodal evidence for bone lymphatics in skeletal health and repair Spatial transcriptomics, single-cell transcriptomics, and high-resolution imaging support bone lymphatics as integral components of the skeletal microenvironment and provide a framework for resolving their identity and detection. This paper is a response to the Matters Arising article by Meng et al. in this issue of Cell. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00746-4?rss=yes cell.com
Cuproptosis enters the cancer-immunity circuit In this issue of Cell, Lei et al. reveal a reciprocal circuit in which cuproptotic tumor cells promote dendritic cell activation and CD8⁺ T cell priming, whereas T cell-derived IFN-γ sensitizes tumor cells to FDX1-dependent cuproptosis. This self-reinforcing interaction provides a mechanistic rationale for combining cuproptosis induction with PD-L1 blockade to overcome immunotherapy resistance. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00874-3?rss=yes cell.com
Modern science outreach: A guide for scientists This paper outlines six actionable practices to help scientists effectively reach and engage broad audiences, with a focus on leveraging modern media and emerging dissemination channels. We encourage scientists at all levels and across disciplines to implement these strategies to engage broad audiences and contribute positively to public discourse. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00812-3?rss=yes cell.com
Protein condensate as a plant sunscreen Plant photosynthesis generates singlet oxygen (1O2), a powerful oxidant that can inhibit photosynthesis in return. In this issue of Cell, Shao et al. demonstrate that a small zinc-finger protein, MBS1, via 1O2-induced oxidation and consequent condensate formation on the chloroplast surface, can screen light penetration into chloroplast and confer photoprotection of plants under high light stresses. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00868-8?rss=yes cell.com
Pangenome-guided breeding restores high-altitude adaptation and improves yield in Tartary buckwheat A Tartary buckwheat pangenome is constructed, allowing identification of the wild-specific gene FtRNH conferring high-altitude adaptation, as well as FtPLATZ structural variants controlling seed size. By combining these superior alleles, buckwheat lines are developed with enhanced high-altitude adaptability and improved field yields. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00867-6?rss=yes cell.com
Trans-regulatory gene mapping prioritizes disease drivers in asthma DANDELION is a causal mediation-inspired framework enabling the identification of disease-driving genes missed by existing approaches. Applied to asthma, DANDELION prioritizes two protein palmitoylation enzymes, revealing a therapeutically tractable pathway that is an important and previously unexplored mechanism underlying asthma pathogenesis. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00866-4?rss=yes cell.com
Hierarchical and context-dependent encoding of actions in human posterior parietal and motor cortex Interpreting others' actions is widely thought to rely on mirroring, yet direct neurophysiological evidence in humans remains scarce. Using single-neuron recordings from motor and posterior parietal cortex in tetraplegic participants, this study reveals hierarchical, context-dependent action coding: motor cortex encodes intentions, while posterior parietal cortex links observed actions to goals. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00864-0?rss=yes cell.com
Reverse transcriptases challenge the central dogma of biology, again In this issue of Cell, Wang et al. reveal the mechanism of a bacterial antiphage system that contains two reverse transcriptases. Through an unprecedented process, the enzymes synthesize double-stranded DNA; one uses a noncoding RNA template and the other uses its amino acid residues to template and prime DNA synthesis. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00828-7?rss=yes cell.com
The complete genome of a songbird A phased diploid telomere-to-telomere reference genome for the zebra finch fully resolves its complete somatic chromosome set, recovering 2,710 previously missing or unannotated genes. The assembly also reveals distinctive dot chromosome and pseudoautosomal region architecture, along with evidence for a CENP-B-like centromere system in birds. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00816-0?rss=yes cell.com
Human acrocentric chromosome short-arm de novo mutation and recombination Analysis of haplotype-resolved human acrocentric chromosomes across four generations reveals unique patterns of allelic recombination, mutation signatures, and an elevated mutation rate. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00635-5?rss=yes cell.com
Why studying females reveals more about aging: The reproductive resilience hypothesis for the evolution of sex-specific aging Why do females often outlive males despite greater reproductive investment? The reproductive resilience hypothesis proposes that when reproductive success depends on prolonged survival and caregiving, evolution couples reproduction to somatic maintenance. Loss of reproductive resilience is proposed as a sex-specific hallmark of aging that drives age-related changes and disease vulnerability. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00811-1?rss=yes cell.com
A complete diploid human genome benchmark for personalized genomics A complete, near-perfect diploid assembly of the HG002 benchmark provides a ground truth for the entire genome rather than a subset of variants. This fully annotated genome benchmark enables quality assessments in previously excluded regions and supports a transition toward the routine sequencing of complete, personalized genomes. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00703-8?rss=yes cell.com
Structure-based design of non-hypertrophic apelin receptor modulator (Cell 187, 1460–1475.e1–e8; March 14, 2024) https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00918-9?rss=yes cell.com
A complete genome for the common marmoset The common marmoset is a key primate model for human disease, yet large regions of its genome have remained unresolved until now. A complete, end-to-end assembly reveals centromere organization, a ribosomal-DNA-driven mechanism of cross-chromosome recombination, and over 500 previously unknown marmoset-specific genes, advancing our understanding of primate genome evolution. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00815-9?rss=yes cell.com
Complex subtelomeric architectures in a complete rhesus macaque reference genome A complete and near-perfect rhesus macaque reference genome, enabled by technological improvements, resolves complex subtelomeric architecture and reveals novel repeats, genes, and regulatory elements that were previously inaccessible. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00225-4?rss=yes cell.com
Filling the holes in whole genomes: A vision for personalized genomics from telomere to telomere Two decades after the Human Genome Project, we finally have the ability to read the complete genome of any human and (nearly) any species. These sequences provide the ideal foundation for training predictive models of the genome that will accelerate basic research, enable accurate diagnostics, and guide precision medicine. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00817-2?rss=yes cell.com
Coordinated RNA- and protein-templated synthesis of double-stranded DNA by a dual reverse transcriptase immune system Bacterial reverse transcriptases defend against viruses, yet how their DNA products stop infection remains unknown. Bacteriophage inhibition of a host recombination enzyme activates the DRT3 defense system, which employs RNA- and protein-templated reverse transcriptases to synthesize antiviral double-stranded DNA. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00810-X?rss=yes cell.com
UniPert-G2CP bridges genetic and chemical screens from molecular representation to phenotype modeling UniPert-G2CP is an AI framework for jointly modeling molecular-level perturbation causes with phenotypic-level cellular effects across genetic and chemical domains. These complementary views enable more accurate perturbation prediction, mechanistic discovery, and efficient in silico drug screening. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00654-9?rss=yes cell.com
UTR-ly unexpected: RNA chaperones tame intrinsically disordered proteins How do cells ensure that complex, multidomain proteins fold correctly? Luo et al. reveal a self-contained solution. The 3′UTR of an mRNA co-translationally chaperones the protein it encodes, preventing intrinsically disordered regions from making inappropriate contacts. This functionality, localized to mesh-like condensates, challenges Anfinsen’s dogma and opens therapeutic possibilities. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00710-5?rss=yes cell.com
Auxin signaling The hormone auxin is central to plant growth and development. Auxin triggers slow nuclear gene-expression changes and fast cell-surface signaling within minutes. This review summarizes new mechanistic advances that reshape the classic view and link rapid and slow responses into a more integrated picture. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00744-0?rss=yes cell.com
Bacteriophage genome-wide transposon mutagenesis A technique enabling phage transposon mutagenesis and sequencing reveals previously unknown non-essential and fitness-conferring genes in both jumbo phages and base-modified phages. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00750-6?rss=yes cell.com
The silicon citizen naturalist Smartphone-wielding citizen scientists and an AI called FLORIST are transforming ecology at the continental scale. In this issue of Cell, when Tibbs-Cortes et al. pair the crowdsourced data with controlled genetics, they discover how switchgrass times its flowering to outwit both frost and heat, depending on latitude. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00800-7?rss=yes cell.com
Do autoantibodies shape cancer immunosurveillance? Why cancer arises, progresses, or proves fatal in some people but not others remains largely unresolved. Antibody repertoires, including autoantibodies targeting immune pathways, may shape cancer immunosurveillance. Mapping antibody landscapes across cancer-free, at-risk, and cancer-affected individuals could clarify their roles in cancer susceptibility and disease outcome. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00708-7?rss=yes cell.com
A domestication-selected enhancer coordinates source-sink balance to improve harvest index and yield in maize A teosinte-derived enhancer boosts the harvest index and grain yield in maize by optimizing source-to-sink carbon and nitrogen allocation, revealing a physiological pathway to yield during maize domestication. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00758-0?rss=yes cell.com
Expanding the scope of protein language modeling to protein-protein interactions with MSA Pairformer Protein language models have excelled at modeling individual proteins, but extending these capabilities to protein complexes remains a major challenge. MSA Pairformer, a parameter-efficient protein language model, generalizes to protein-protein interactions despite being trained exclusively on monomers, enabling accurate prediction of interface variant effects and subfamily-specific homo-oligomeric binding modes. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00749-X?rss=yes cell.com
Viral protease-initiated lytic cell death as a universal antiviral mRNA therapy VIDA mRNA enables universal broad-spectrum antiviral therapy by triggering viral protease-initiated lytic cell death to eliminate infected cells and activate protective immunity. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00751-8?rss=yes cell.com
A spliceosome-independent eukaryote generated by complete intron removal Elimination of all spliceosomal introns reveals a spliceosome-independent eukaryote. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00624-0?rss=yes cell.com
Rewriting Duchenne muscular dystrophy therapy In this issue of Cell, Guo et al. report the development of a new exon-skipping, RNA-editing-based therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The dual mechanism of action through both ADAR-dependent and -independent pathways has the potential to be more effective and require a lower dosing frequency than currently available ASO-based exon-skipping treatments. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00698-7?rss=yes cell.com
Recent advances in Alzheimer’s disease: From molecular mechanisms to therapeutic strategies Alzheimer’s disease is driven by pathological brain changes that progressively impair memory and cognition, with current treatment options being limited. Advances in early, biomarker-based diagnosis and amyloid-targeting and other disease-modifying approaches are beginning to slow disease progression in clinical studies. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00655-0?rss=yes cell.com
Photosynthetic medicine: Engineering a plant-derived nanofoundry to power mammalian cells Mammalian eyes receive constant visible light yet lack photosynthesis. Xing et al. engineer an intact thylakoid grana nanoparticle enabling light-driven NADPH production within corneal cells, restoring antioxidant defenses and interrupting inflammatory cycles in dry eye disease. This work positions borrowed photosynthesis as a therapeutic strategy for oxidative, light-exposed tissue pathologies. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00518-0?rss=yes cell.com
Bridging omics and physiology to build multimodal clocks of human aging Human aging is a heterogeneous, multi-system process that spans molecular, tissue, and physiological decline. In this issue of Cell, Li et al. integrate clinical data, multi-omics, and organ-associated signatures to construct a multi-layer framework for quantifying biological aging across scales. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00705-1?rss=yes cell.com
Map of spiking activity underlying change detection in the mouse visual system Large-scale Neuropixels recordings across the mouse visual system during an image-change detection task map how sensory, motor, and task engagement signals are distributed across the cortex, thalamus, and midbrain. Task and novelty signals differentially modulate activity along this hierarchy, and combined decoding and optogenetics suggest mice detect changes via an adaptation-based strategy within a critical time window. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00745-2?rss=yes cell.com
A viral ORFeome library for systems-level genetic dissection of host-pathogen interactions A scalable library of ∼13,000 barcoded viral open reading frames from >500 viral species enables functional genomic screens across the virome. Applying this platform identified viral regulators of cellular proliferation, antigen presentation, and interferon signaling. This platform enables systematic exploration of viral protein function. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00583-0?rss=yes cell.com
LEF1 and niche factors determine T cell stemness across chronic diseases In settings of persistent antigen, such as autoimmunity and chronic infection, stem-like CD8 T cells sustain antigen-specific immune responses. Here, LEF1 and niche-derived factors are identified as essential regulators of T cell stemness across chronic diseases. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00709-9?rss=yes cell.com
Systematic discovery of pathogen effector functions across human pathogens and pathways The eORFeome, a large-scale collection of open reading frames encoding viral proteins and secreted bacterial and parasite effectors, enables functional genomics across diverse pathways and pathogens. Pooled lentiviral screens identify pathogen effectors that perturb NF-κB, p53, apoptosis, STING, and MHC-I display pathways in human cells. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00704-X?rss=yes cell.com
Whole-cell particle-based digital twin simulations from 4D lattice light-sheet microscopy data Mesoscale intracellular organelle dynamics are modeled using a whole-cell digital twin framework that integrates live-cell 4D (x, y, z, and t) lattice light-sheet microscopy with particle-based reaction-diffusion simulations. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00697-5?rss=yes cell.com
Multiscale integration of tissue and chromatin context converts cell heterogeneity into stable intestinal patterning During regeneration, tissues must translate transient cellular variability into stable spatial organization. Tissue architecture generates a density-dependent window of heterogeneity in the mechanosensor YAP1 that FOXA1 integrates with Delta-Notch signaling, thereby linking tissue-scale mechanics to bistable cell fate decisions and stable tissue patterning. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00696-3?rss=yes cell.com
Electromagnetic field-inducible in vivo gene switch for remote spatiotemporal control of gene expression (Cell 189, 3465–3480.e1–e23; May 28, 2026) https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00707-5?rss=yes cell.com
Arc mediates intercellular tau transmission via extracellular vesicles Tau pathology spreads cell to cell in Alzheimer’s disease, but the molecular mechanisms are unclear. This study found that the capsid-forming protein Arc binds and packages tau into extracellular vesicles that are released from neurons, which eliminates toxic intracellular tau and promotes intercellular tau transmission. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00695-1?rss=yes cell.com
Geometric constraints on the architecture of mammalian cortical connectomes The origins of the cortical connectome’s complex topology and region-specific topography remain unclear, motivating a search for underlying physical principles. A neural-field-theory model that prioritizes connections between regions that facilitate the excitation of the resonant geometric eigenmodes of the cortex and reproduces topological and topographical features of diffusion-MRI and tract-tracing connectomes across five mammalian species and multiple spatial scales, indicating a universal geometric basis for connectome architecture. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00648-3?rss=yes cell.com
Iron drives protease-independent cleavage of gasdermin D in allergic airway diseases Allergen exposure activates gasdermin D in lung epithelial cells through an iron-mediated, protease-independent mechanism requiring the PAR1-ferritinophagy-PCBP2 axis. This unconventional cleavage drives IL-33 release and allergic airway inflammation, highlighting intracellular iron as a promising therapeutic target for allergic diseases. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00653-7?rss=yes cell.com
Excessive epithelial mechanosensation drives nociceptive innervation and chronic bladder pain via the PIEZO1-SLC7A11-glutamate axis Chronic bladder infection rewires epithelial mechanotransduction through IL-6-dependent PIEZO1 activation, triggering glutamate-mediated nociceptive hyperinnervation and persistent bladder pain. These findings identify a neuroepithelial pathway linking epithelial stress to chronic visceral pain. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00649-5?rss=yes cell.com
A disinhibitory basal forebrain-to-cortex projection supports sustained attention A long-range inhibitory projection from the basal forebrain disinhibits the cortex to amplify sensory responses. This circuit encodes motivational salience and predicts moment-to-moment attentional performance, providing a mechanism for the real-time control of sustained attention. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00646-X?rss=yes cell.com
Multimodal targeting chimeras enable integrated immunotherapy leveraging tumor-immune microenvironment (Cell 187, 7470–7491.e1–e20; December 26, 2024) https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00706-3?rss=yes cell.com
A new sense for electrical fields Most cells polarize and migrate in response to electrical fields. In this issue of Cell, Belliveau et al. identify TMEM154/Galvanin, a receptor that serves as a cellular antenna to sense electrical gradients and guide migration toward the cathode. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00638-0?rss=yes cell.com
CAR T targets: AI takes the wheel Identifying safe and effective targets remains a major bottleneck for CAR T cell therapies. In this issue of Cell, Baker and colleagues developed a large language model (LLM)-assisted scoring framework to streamline this process and as a result identified and validated glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB) as a candidate chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T target across melanoma, leukemia, and colorectal cancer. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00652-5?rss=yes cell.com
Excessive vascular integrity restricts anti-tumor immunity Vessel normalization aims to correct the abnormal vasculature in the tumor to improve drug delivery and immune control. In this issue of Cell, Wang et al. identify an immune-excluding vasculature in small-cell lung cancer, where excessive vessel integrity drives immune desertification, and propose “reverse normalization” to restore immune access and overcome immunotherapy resistance. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00634-3?rss=yes cell.com
AI-driven discovery of GPNMB CAR T cells as a multi-cancer therapy An AI-guided framework integrating high-resolution cellular atlases, public knowledge databases, and large language models enables a modular framework for CAR T cell target discovery. GPNMB emerged as a versatile candidate antigen, enabling the development of GPNMB CAR T cells with potent activity in multiple xenograft mouse models of cancer. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00651-3?rss=yes cell.com
