Short Notes are concise reports which promote Open Science, by making accessible so far unshared scientific results. Find here the Short Notes accepted after review by experts. For detailed guidance or to share your research findings, visit the Short Notes submission platform.
Laila Boubeker, Marie-Céline Littré, Caroline Jeannière, Eloïse Latouille, Maéva Zysman, Vincent Studer, Isabelle Dupin, Pauline Henrot
Posted on Thursday April 16, 2026
DOI: 10.60675/za47-dr97/sn20260416-13r/short-notes 
Skeletal muscle in vitro modelling requires appropriate biochemical and mechanical cues, which remains challenging to reproduce in standard 2D culture. Developing human-relevant models integrating extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, substrate stiffness and geometric confinement is essential for studying muscle physiology and disorders such as sarcopenia. Here, we sought to optimize two critical steps necessary to establish in vitro micropatterned models from human muscle cells. First, we compared human primary muscle cells isolation via two explant-based culture methods: Matrigel embedding versus coverslip-mediated immobilization. Although the first emerging cells from the explants were seen significantly earlier with the coverslip technique, both methods seem to allowed generation of CD56+ satellite cells suitable for proper myotube differentiation in a similar way. Secondly, we evaluated cellular adhesion on fibronectin versus laminin micropatterns on soft Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates. Fibronectin led to better cellular adhesion, consistent with integrin switching during satellite cell activation. Immunostaining of myotubes seeded on fibronectin patterns revealed well-defined sarcomeric organization with -actinin Z-lines. These optimizations provide a foundation for future integration of micropatterning in human primary myoblasts culture.
Vincent Brochard, Alice Galle, Alice Jouneau
Posted on Thursday February 12, 2026
DOI: 10.60675/yrr0-6e39/sn20260212-12r/short-notes
Pluripotency is defined as the ability of cells to differentiate into all cell types. In vivo, this capacity is gradually acquired by pluripotent cells in the epiblast as they polarize and arrange themselves into a three-dimensional structure known as a 'rosette', which then forms a lumen. Major epigenetic and metabolic changes occur during this crucial period of early development. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs), an in vitro model for early epiblast cells, can self-organise into rosettes when cultured in 3D, making them an ideal model for studying the events that accompany this morphogenesis. While this model is relevant to the 3Rs in terms of reducing the use of embryos, there is a significant drawback: the hydrogel commonly used for 3D cultures, Matrigel, is derived from animals. Furthermore, some rosette formation protocols use a serum-containing medium. The aim of this study was therefore to test alternative, commercially available, synthetic hydrogels and to compare the use of serum-containing and serum-free medium for modelling epiblast morphogenesis. Our results demonstrate that morphogenesis is more efficient in serum-free medium but did not occur in the synthetic hydrogels tested. This underscores the need for further optimisation of these systems
Nathan Lambert, Mathilde Pauchard, Clara Saleri, David Thura
Posted on Tuesday December 02, 2025
DOI: 10.60675/vnga-dk52/sn20251202-5r/short-notes
Stereotypies, defined as repetitive behaviors with no apparent purpose, are frequent in some animals kept in captivity, posing a major ethical and scientific challenge for biomedical research involving animals for scientific purposes. This article describes the case of a rhesus macaque who tends to express marked stereotypies when temporarily separated from his partner. In an attempt to improve the animal's condition during these short periods of separation, the impact of exposure to a video of his partner was tested. This video was shown to the animal during five experimental sessions, and the animal's behavior was analyzed using BORIS software, which quantifies the duration of stereotypies. The results indicate an immediate and significant reduction in stereotypic behaviors when the animal is first exposed to the video of his partner during her absence. However, a gradual return of stereotypies is observed during subsequent exposures, suggesting habituation to the visual enrichment offered. A lasting improvement in well-being through social visual enrichment is therefore not observed for this animal. These data are discussed in light of the specificity of the protocol used, the factors that may have interfered with its effectiveness, and the profile of the animal in question.
Sandra Wiart-Letort, Laurence Finot
Posted on Tuesday September 23, 2025
DOI: 10.60675/yfh3-8k03/sn20250923-8/short-notes
As part of the GIS FC3R leading project to replace animal-derived antibodies by recombinant ones, we tested four recombinant antibodies to detect by immunofluorescence, keratin 14, a protein expressed by the basal epithelial cells. Two antibodies, the clones E7W6V and SP53 from respectively, Cell Signaling Tech. and Abcam, were able to recognize the target in the mammary gland of bovine and porcine species. Only the clone E7W6V recognized keratin 14 in the mammary tissue of all three species, including goats.
Inès ACHIN, Céline PARIAS, Melody MORISSE, Baptiste MULOT, Olivier LASSERRE, Pascal CHEVREAU, Didier DUBREUIL, Emeline GALPIN, Thierry GASCOGNE, Karine LAROSE, Denis JEANTET, Regis PETIT, Cyril BLANCHET, Jean noel COUET, Pascal TONDEREAU, Gaëlle LEFORT, Scott LOVE, Elodie CHAILLOU
Posted on Tuesday September 16, 2025
DOI: 10.60675/vyhk-q978/sn20250916-4r/short-notes
In sheep, the emotional valence of olfactory stimuli needs to be studied as olfaction is crucial for social and dietary preferences. To this end, it is necessary to evaluate the behavioural responses induced by olfactory stimuli (OS). These latter have often been explored with animals tested alone, in odorized versus non-odorized food choice tests or with constraining procedures. All these conditions are likely to induce emotional behaviours, which questions the specificity and reproducibility of behavioural responses induced by the OS. This study aimed to create an experimental setup for investigating the impact of OS on behavioural responses while addressing social and food resources and avoiding other confounding factors. Particularly, we focused on minimizing experimental bias through a habituation phase. To test our setup, we examined the consistency of behavioural responses measured in the control situation over time in adult ewes and lambs, by using principal component analysis. We found that the behavioural responses of individuals are similar over time and that the animals were not stressed by the experimental setup. Then, we concluded that it is adapted to explore the repulsive or attractive properties of the OS. Moreover, based on specific behaviours like vocalization, agitation, exploration, social contact, it could be possible to explore the emotional valence of OS.