Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40414867›Full record

ReviewCell communication and signaling : CCS2025

Making cells inter-connected for signaling communication: a developmental view of cytonemes.

Jiayue Ma, Honglin Yu, Shuo Yao, Yan Yan, Zhaoyu Gu, Ziqi Wang, Hai Huang, Di Chen

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Cell communication and signaling : CCS, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Emerging Roles of Cytoneme-Mediated Signaling in Cancer.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Jiayue Ma *Center for Reproductive Medicine of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Center for Regeneration and Cell Therapy of Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, China.
Honglin Yu *Center for Reproductive Medicine of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Center for Regeneration and Cell Therapy of Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, China.
Shuo Yao *Center for Reproductive Medicine of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Center for Regeneration and Cell Therapy of Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, China.
Yan YanCenter for Reproductive Medicine of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Center for Regeneration and Cell Therapy of Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, China.
Zhaoyu GuCenter for Reproductive Medicine of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Center for Regeneration and Cell Therapy of Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, China.
Ziqi WangCenter for Reproductive Medicine of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Center for Regeneration and Cell Therapy of Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, China.
Hai HuangDepartment of Cell Biology, and Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang Province, China. haihuang@zju.edu.cn.
Di ChenCenter for Reproductive Medicine of The Second Affiliated Hospital, Center for Regeneration and Cell Therapy of Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310003, Zhejiang, China. dichen@intl.zju.edu.cn.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China No. 32270835Zhejiang Natural Science Foundation No. Z22C129553
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cellular communication is a cornerstone of metazoan development, orchestrating cell behavior, differentiation, and tissue formation. Morphogens, key signaling molecules for patterning tissue architecture, are traditionally thought to act through diffusion or endocytosis but struggle to explain precise long-range gradient formation in complex tissues. The discovery of cytonemes, specialized actin-based membrane extensions, has introduced a novel mechanism for direct intercellular signaling. Their dynamic structure allows for long-range signaling, ensuring specificity and accuracy in morphogen delivery, which is essential for proper tissue patterning and cell differentiation. In this review, we summarize the latest advances of cytoneme research across different model organisms by focusing on the regulatory mechanisms and functional roles in stem cells and developmental disorders. We establish cytonemes as fundamental mediators of intercellular communication and emphasize their pivotal roles in developmental biology and potential implications in regenerative medicine and cancer therapy.

Indexed as

Cell CommunicationSignal TransductionAnimalsCell DifferentiationHumansStem CellsCellular communicationCytonemesDevelopmental signalingGastric cancerMorphogen transportStem cell biology

Identifiers

PMID40414867
PMCPMC12103778

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.