"New Atlas Reveals Gene Functions in Early Embryo Development"

Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a "genetic atlas" using the model organism C. elegans to profile the function of nearly 500 genes during embryonic development. By blocking each gene one at a time and using time-lapse 4D imaging and computer vision, they tracked how these genes influence tissue formation and cell identity. This study, published in Cell, provides new insights into gene functions and their roles in development, with implications for understanding human developmental disorders. The data is now available through an online resource called PhenoBank.