A cellular atlas for a small, fast-reproducing primate could set the stage for scientists to use it as a model organism that has more human relevance than rodents

The tiny mouse lemur could make for a mighty model organism

Advances in genomic technologies have paved the way for new model organisms to enhance scientists’ understanding of primate biology. In a pair of pioneering studies published in Nature, the Tabula Microcebus Consortium et al.¹, and Ezran et al.² present an impressive molecular cell atlas of the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus; Fig. 1), an emerging model organism that offers insights into primate genetics, physiology and disease.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-01584-0

This story originally appeared on: Nature - Author:J. Gray Camp