Signalling via tissue-specific receptors for fibroblast growth factor is important in tracheal branching and mesodermal patterning in Drosophila; both processes may involve a common primary response - detachment and directed migration of the target cells - that is conserved from worms to mammals.

Studies of branch prediction have tended to emphasize aggregate measurement of prediction performance. Instead, we have taken the approach that there are likely to be a small number of branch addresses (“sites”) in the program causing the majority of all mispredictions. Using a graphical tool we developed for analyzing program traces on-the-fly, we present three interesting results, all based o...

M igrating cells move forward by harnessing the force of actin polymerization to form a protru-sive lamellipodium at the leading edge. A protein called Lamellipodin (Lpd) promotes lamellipodium formation, but how it does so is unclear. Law et al. reveal that Lpd generates membrane protrusions in association with a key regulator of actin branching called the Scar/WAVE complex and that this inter...