Doushantuo Fossils Reveal Cell Differentiation and Signaling

Phosphatized microfossils from the Ediacaran Doushantuo Formation in Guizhou Province, China, preserve cellular-level evidence of programmed cell death, germ-soma separation, and cell-to-cell adhesion dating to approximately 600 million years ago. Published in Nature in 2014 by Lei Chen and colleagues, these three-dimensionally preserved specimens show developmental stages beyond simple blastula forms, indicating regulated intercellular communication. The fossils document how chemical signaling systems enabled coordinated multicellular behavior prior to the appearance of the Ediacaran biota.