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Getting Closure

17 October 2025

Getting Closure

As organs and tissue develops cells must neatly fuse to close up gaps. Failure to fuse can lead to defects such as cleft palate. This study of the developing chick's ear finds and characterises (molecularly and functionally) a previously unidentified transient cell population – dubbed otic epithelial edge cells – that mediates the fusion process

Read the published research article here

Written by Lindsey Goff

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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