Embryonic Endothelial Evolution towards First Hematopoietic Stem Cells Revealed by Single-Cell Transcriptomic and Functional Analyses
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ABSTRACT: Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in adults are believed to be born from hemogenic endothelial cells (HECs) in mid-gestational mouse embryos. Due to rare and transient nature, the HSC-competent ECs have never been stringently identified and accurately captured, let alone their genuine vasculature precursors. Here, we firstly used high-precision single-cell transcriptomics to unbiasedly examine relevant EC populations at continuous developmental stages and transcriptomically identified putative HSC-primed HECs. Combining computational prediction and in vivo functional validation, we precisely captured HSC-competent HECs by newly constructed Neurl3-EGFP reporter mouse model, and realized enrichment further by surface marker combination. Surprisingly, endothelial-hematopoietic bi-potential was rarely but reliably witnessed in culture of single HECs. Noteworthy, primitive vascular ECs experienced two-step fate choices to become HSC-primed HECs, resolving several previously observed contradictions. Taken together, comprehensive understanding of endothelial evolutions and molecular programs underlying HSC-primed HEC specification in vivo will facilitate future investigations directing HSC production in vitro.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE139389 | GEO | 2020/03/24
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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