Elizabeth A. Williams

The paper compares larval single-cell transcriptomes of sponges and cnidarians to explore the evolutionary origins of neural and sensory cell types.

This study examines age-related changes in settlement behaviors of Platynereis dumerilii larvae in response to Grammatophora marina diatom biofilms, finding increased crawling and discrimination with development.

The paper describes the whole-body synaptic connectome of a segmented annelid larva, identifying segment-specific and repeated cell types and pathways.

This study identifies microalgal biofilm as a settlement cue for Platynereis dumerilii larvae, showing species-specific preferences and enhancing juvenile growth.

The paper tests the developmental toxicity of plastic pellets on invertebrates from multiple phyla, finding concentration-dependent effects on embryonic development and morphogenesis.

This study characterizes neural development in Owenia fusiformis, revealing the formation and reorganization of its nervous system during development and metamorphosis.

A whole-body serial electron microscopy volume of a three-segment Platynereis dumerilii larva gives over 1,500 reconstructed neurons, 6,500 non-neuronal cells, 180 neuronal types and traced sensory-to-effector pathways.

This study identifies diverse peptidergic signaling in placozoans, revealing cell-type-specific neuropeptide expression and behavioral responses that suggest peptidergic signaling predates synapses in nervous system evolution.

The paper identifies a dual signaling mechanism for Wamide peptides in Platynereis, involving both a peptide-gated ion channel and a GPCR, and shows they target distinct neurons.

The paper maps the synaptic and peptidergic connectome of a neurosecretory centre in the annelid brain, revealing non-synaptic signalling and peptide-receptor interactions.

The paper identifies ciliomotor neurons in Platynereis larvae that coordinate ciliary activity through cholinergic, serotonergic, and catecholaminergic signaling.