Six3 and Six6 jointly regulate the identities and developmental trajectories of multipotent retinal progenitor cells in the embryonic mouse retina
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ABSTRACT: Regulation of retinal differentiation in mammals is not adequately understood. Using single-cell RNA sequencing of control and Six3 and Six6 compound-mutant mouse embryonic eye-cups, we identified cell clusters and developmental trajectories jointly regulated by transcription factor Six3 and its close paralog Six6. In control retinas, naïve retinal progenitor cells had two major trajectories leading to ciliary margin cells and retinal neurons, respectively. The ciliary margin trajectory was directly from naïve retinal progenitor cells at G1 phase whereas the neuronal trajectory was through a neurogenic state marked by Atoh7 expression. Upon Six3 and Six6 dual deficiencies, both naïve and neurogenic retinal progenitors were defective, ciliary margin differentiation was enhanced, and multi-lineage neuronal differentiation was disrupted. An ectopic neuronal trajectory lacking the Atoh7+ state led to ectopic neurons. Additionally, opposing gradients of Wnt and Fgf signaling were perturbed. Our findings provide deeper insight into molecular mechanisms underlying early retinal differentiation in mammals.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE241946 | GEO | 2024/08/03
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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