Get your Cellular Signalling paper right the first time: a ready-made structure with the right abstract and citations, so editors see your science, not formatting slips.
4.5
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 3 August, 2026
Submitting to Cellular Signalling goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Cellular Signalling guide for authors before peer review, so formatting, structure, and required statements should be right on the first draft rather than repaired during upload. This template sets that structure up for you.
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Cellular Signalling. It covers front matter, the abstract the journal expects, a body organized to the journal's article types, and a reference list in the journal's required style. Confirm current scope and article types on the Cellular Signalling journal page before you draft.
Prepare the title, authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs. Write the abstract to the journal's rule and word limit, organize the body to the article type, and apply the required reference style from the first citation. Complete every declaration (ethics, competing interests, funding, data availability) the Cellular Signalling guide for authors lists, and cite figures and tables in order.
The common failure modes are formatting or reference style that does not match the guide for authors, missing required statements, and an incomplete portal checklist. Clear all three against the Cellular Signalling guide for authors before you submit.
The shell mirrors what editorial staff check first: article-type fit, the abstract rules, required declarations, and the journal's reference style. For more detail see the author resources. When your draft is ready, upload it through Editorial Manager.
| Element | Cell Signal requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured. Required to be concise and factual, not exceeding 250 words. Must briefly state the purpose of research, principal results, and major conclusions. Same requirement applies to all article types (research papers, short communications, reviews, graphical reviews) |
| Main text | No overall word or page limit stated in the guide for full-length research papers. Short Communications should have the format of a letter (main text without headings). Graphical Reviews are described as a 'short, structured article type' |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | Required: 1 to 7 keywords for indexing purposes. Should be written in English. Recommend avoiding keywords consisting of multiple words (using 'and' or 'of'). Recommend only using abbreviations if firmly established in the field |
| References | Numbered style with square brackets in order of appearance in text (e.g., [1], [2], [3]). Any reference style/format accepted at submission as long as consistent and complete. Journal's numbered reference style will be applied after acceptance at proof stage. Journal abbreviations follow List of Title Word Abbreviations (LTWA) |
| Peer review | Single-blind (single anonymized review process). Submission initially assessed by editors for suitability, then typically sent to minimum of two reviewers for independent expert assessment of scientific quality. Editors make final acceptance/rejection decision |
| Submission | www.editorialmanager.com/cs/default.aspx |
Read the Cellular Signalling guide for authors once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after results are stable. Set the reference style before adding citations. Keep a cover letter that states your contribution and fit to Cellular Signalling in under a page.
Skim two or three recent Cell Signal papers to calibrate depth and figure style. Make the novelty clear in the first two pages. Deposit data and code when the policy on the Cellular Signalling journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Do one focused pass against the Cellular Signalling guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through Editorial Manager.