Ferroptosis is a form of cell death that is characterized by morphological abnormalities of mitochondria and the overwhelming peroxidation of phospholipids. Certain tumours are susceptible to ferroptosis, which could be exploited to treat cancers.

Biological clocks can be used to evaluate the age of a cell or organisms. This Perspective proposes the concept of an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) clock, whereby the aggregation state of an IDP encodes for a biological ageing signature.

Granath-Panelo and Kajimura review emerging evidence of mitochondrial heterogeneity in different contexts and discuss how mitochondrial malleability contributes to cell fate determination and tissue remodelling.

Metastatic colonization involves cancer-cell-intrinsic mechanisms and microenvironmental interactions, and a better understanding of the factors that influence the final, post-extravasation phases is crucial for therapeutically targeting metatstasis.

In two independent studies, Sun, Liu et al. and Sun et al. develop SPATAC-seq to map the chromatin accessibility landscape of zebrafish embryogenesis and mouse organogenesis, respectively, and identify transcription regulators that determine cell fate.

In two independent studies, Sun, Liu et al. and Sun et al. develop SPATAC-seq to map the chromatin accessibility landscape of zebrafish embryogenesis and mouse organogenesis, respectively, and identify transcription regulators that determine cell fate.

Naderi et al. show that increasing the dispersion of aromatic residues in intrinsically disordered regions of human transcription factors enhances their activity but reduces their specificity.

Zimmermann et al. present OrgaPlexing, an imaging pipeline mapping metabolic organelles and their interactions. They find changes in mitochondria, ER, peroxisome and lipid droplet dynamics that impact macrophage inflammatory lipid mediator synthesis.

Chen et al. perform single-molecule imaging of translation at ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules. They show that RNP granule surfaces are sites of nanos mRNA translation, whereas the granule interior is translationally repressive.

Qin, Liu and colleagues develop a tool that combines CRISPR technology with G-quadruplex (G4)-stabilizing protein or ligand to specifically target DNA G4 structures. This tool provides better understanding of G4 functions and enables G4-based drug development.

Volume electron microscopy (vEM) generates large 3D volumes of cells or tissues at nanoscale resolutions, enabling analyses of organelles in their cellular environment. Here, we provide examples of vEM in cell biology and discuss community efforts to develop standards in sample preparation and image acquisition for enhanced reproducibility and data reuse.

Despite the constant renewal of their components, cellular actin networks maintain their overall appearance, through a subtle balance of filament assembly and disassembly. This balance is key to the remodelling of cellular architecture. We discuss the significance of in vitro reconstitutions in deciphering the complexity of actin regulation.

Scientists must actively advocate for infrastructure development and funding of emerging research directions through collective efforts. In India, this has been crucial to help reverse the brain drain and enable equitable contributions to research and development at the global level.

In this piece, I share a personal encounter that underscores the glaring gaps in conference accessibility and challenges faced by disabled academics. I reveal historical biases and resistance to change and propose ways to transform conferences into more inclusive spaces, ensuring that all scientists can fully participate in the scientific discourse.

Eiji Hara is a professor at the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Japan. Eiji recalls the discovery of the basis for the irreversibility of cellular senescence, published in Nature Cell Biology in 2006.