A Cre-deleter specific for embryo-derived brain macrophages reveals distinct features of microglia and border macrophages
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Genetic tools to target microglia specifically and efficiently from the early stages of the embryonic development are missing. Here we present Crybb1-Cre, a new constitutive Cre deleter producing a nearly complete recombination of embryonic brain macrophages (microglia and embryonic BAMs) by the perinatal period, with limited recombination leakage in peripheral myeloid cells. Using this tool, in combination with Flt3-Cre lineage tracer, scRNA-seq analysis and confocal imaging we were able to accurately fate-map embryonic derived versus monocyte derived BAMs in the mouse cortex and identified specific surface markers to resolve either population. Furthermore, we used Crybb1-Cre to delete the transcription factor SMAD4. Using multiomics analysis combining single-cell RNA-seq and ATAC-seq we showed that SMAD4-deficient microglia underwent an arrest of their homeostatic maturation and at the same time acquired a BAMs specification signature. By contrast, BAMs development was unaffected. Therefore, SMAD4 drives a transcriptional and epigenetic program that is indispensable for the commitment of brain macrophages to the microglia fate. This data provides a valuable resource to study molecular underpinnings of microglia development.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE213020 | GEO | 2023/02/02
REPOSITORIES: GEO
ACCESS DATA