Cell growth articles from across Nature Portfolio

When cells sense amino acids, they activate a kinase complex known as mTORC1 in a process that can regulate cancer metabolism and growth. Work now shows that in nutrient-limiting conditions, inflammatory cytokines aberrantly activate mTORC1 in cancer cells, thereby depriving cancer-screening CD8⁺ T cells of amino acids and causing their death.

The authors present spatial transcriptomics atlases of developing mouse hearts at embryonic and neonatal stages, complemented with ligand–receptor interaction analyses.

Genetic and functional analysis in zebrafish shows that Vgll4 limits tissue growth by inhibiting Yap1–Tead– mediated activation and promoting Tead-dependent repression, providing a framework for how Hippo pathway output regulates organ size in vivo.

When cells sense amino acids, they activate a kinase complex known as mTORC1 in a process that can regulate cancer metabolism and growth. Work now shows that in nutrient-limiting conditions, inflammatory cytokines aberrantly activate mTORC1 in cancer cells, thereby depriving cancer-screening CD8⁺ T cells of amino acids and causing their death.

A new study shows that Whi3 condensates in Ashbya gossypii locally regulate translation of specific mRNAs, creating spatial biases in protein synthesis that co-ordinate multinucleate cell growth. Condensate size, RNA identity and protein biophysical properties tune translation outcomes, linking local translation with cell-scale growth dynamics.

Taurine is essential for mitochondrial translation, yet its mitochondrial uptake mechanism remains unknown. Li, You, Chai et al. identify that SLC6A6, a plasma membrane taurine transporter, also localizes to mitochondria to import cytoplasmic taurine for mitochondrial transfer RNA modifications and metabolic reprogramming in cancer.

The transcription factor p53 enables phosphoethanolamine scavenging to support increased membrane phospholipid synthesis during senescence. Perturbing lipid synthesis or recycling compromises the fitness of senescent cells, with implications for targeting these cells in disease states.