The evolutionary origin of metazoan cell types such as neurons and muscles is not known.
Using whole-body single-cell RNA sequencing in a sponge, an animal without nervous …

Cell types are the basic building blocks of multicellular organisms and are extensively diversified
in animals. Despite recent advances in characterizing cell types, classification schemes …

Comparing single-cell transcriptomic atlases from diverse organisms can elucidate the origins
of cellular diversity and assist the annotation of new cell atlases. Yet, comparison between …

Highlights • Solving nervous system evolution requires cross-species comparison of neuronal
types. • Neuronal types are commonly defined by their specific structure and function. • We …

We elaborate a framework for investigating the evolutionary history of morphological
characters. We argue that morphological character trees generated by phylogenetic analysis of …

Identifying the molecular fingerprint of organismal cell types is key for understanding their
function and evolution. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to survey the …

Pelagic larval stages are widespread across animals, yet it is unclear whether larvae were
present in the last common ancestor of animals or whether they evolved multiple times due to …

Ultraviolet (UV) light-transmitted signals play a major role in avian foraging and communication,
subserving functional roles in feeding, mate choice, egg recognition, and nestling …

Animals can regenerate complex organs, yet this process frequently results in imprecise
replicas of the original structure. In the crustacean Parhyale, embryonic and regenerating legs …

The evolution and diversification of cell types is a key means by which animal complexity
evolves. Recently, hierarchical clustering and phylogenetic methods have been applied to RNA…