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    Through exposure to internal and environmental stresses, cells are continuously at risk of accumulating molecular damage that could impair their functions. Thus, they have evolved protective quality control systems to either prevent errors from occurring, or, if damage has occurred, to detect abnormal macromolecules and initiate their repair or degradation.

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    Cells rapidly adapt to changing nutrient availability, alter their metabolism to meet their changing needs and integrate this information about their metabolic state to drive cellular behaviour. Unprecedented insights are being gained into the molecular basis of how metabolic pathways interface with cell biological processes and how this can be disrupted in metabolic disorders.

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    During development, differentiated cells in a tissue reorganize to allow an organ to take its shape and position in the body. For these intricate tissue movements to arise, individual cells must integrate multiple signalling events and mechanical cues from their environment to change their behaviour. A better appreciation of morphogenetic control is crucial for understanding tissue homeostasis and disease.

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    Nature Structural & Molecular BiologyandNature Reviews Molecular Cell Biologyhave teamed up to present an in-depth joint Focus on Signal Integration, with specially commissioned Reviews in each journal. These articles consider some of the key approaches used to study signaling networks, and discuss how various signals are integrated in different cellular contexts.

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    The integrity of the genome is crucial for tumour suppression and for the propagation of genomic information to subsequent generations. DNA damage can result from cellular metabolism, exogenous genotoxic agents or routine errors in DNA replication and recombination. Cells have evolved mechanisms to maintain genome integrity.

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    Endocytic membrane trafficking involves the cellular internalization and sorting of extracellular molecules, plasma membrane proteins and lipids. Endocytosis is required for a vast number of functions, including nutrient uptake, cell adhesion and migration, receptor signalling, pathogen entry and cell polarity.

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    Cellular responses to mechanical forces drive morphogenesis, regulate normal physiology and contribute to pathogenesis of diverse diseases, from loss of hearing to muscular dystrophy and cancer.

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    Cell polarity is crucial for the development of unicellular and multicellular organisms and is achieved through the coordinated actions of signalling pathways, membrane trafficking mechanisms and cytoskeletal dynamics.

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    Accompanying poster produced with support from Merck SeroNo. International S.A. There is an increasing appreciation of the versatility of lipids — from their role as essential membrane components to functions in membrane trafficking and signal transduction.

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    Recent breakthroughs in ageing research have shown that it is possible to slow ageing and extend the healthy lifespan of laboratory animals. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie the ageing process and ageing-related diseases will help us to develop approaches to delay their onset and progression and therefore improve the quality of human life.

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    This Collection on fluorescence imaging illustrates the versatility of fluorescence imaging technologies in studying basic cell-biological processes, disease aetiology and therapeutics.

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    Nature Cell BiologyandNature Reviews Molecular Cell Biologyhave joined forces to present this collection of reviews and commentaries, designed as highly accessible and practical guides to some of the most important approaches and challenges in systems biology. This user's guide also contains lists of glossary terms, further reading and systems biology research institutions, as well as a library of related articles across the Nature titles.

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