Project description:Although single cell RNA sequencing studies have begun providing compendia of cell expression profiles, it has proven more difficult to systematically identify and localize all molecular cell types in individual organs to create a full molecular cell atlas. Here we describe droplet- and plate-based single cell RNA sequencing applied to ~75,000 human lung and blood cells, combined with a multi-pronged cell annotation approach, which have allowed us to define the gene expression profiles and anatomical locations of 58 cell populations in the human lung, including 41 of 45 previously known cell types or subtypes and 14 new ones. This comprehensive molecular atlas elucidates the biochemical functions of lung cell types and the cell-selective transcription factors and optimal markers for making and monitoring them; defines the cell targets of circulating hormones and predicts local signaling interactions including sources and targets of chemokines in immune cell trafficking and expression changes on lung homing; and identifies the cell types directly affected by lung disease genes and respiratory viruses. Comparison to mouse identified 17 molecular types that appear to have been gained or lost during lung evolution and others whose expression profiles have been substantially altered, revealing extensive plasticity of cell types and cell-type-specific gene expression during organ evolution including expression switches between cell types. This atlas provides the molecular foundation for investigating how lung cell identities, functions, and interactions are achieved in development and tissue engineering and altered in disease and evolution.
Project description:Functional regeneration of the lung’s gas exchange surface following injury requires the coordination of a complex series of cell behaviors within the alveolar niche. Using a multi-modal approach, we have mapped the temporal sequencing of mouse lung regeneration after acute viral injury, demonstrating that this response is asynchronously phased across different cellular compartments. This longitudinal atlas of regeneration has produced a catalogue of new cell states that reflect transient and persistent transcriptional alterations in daughter cells as they transit across axes of differentiation. These new cell states include an injury-induced capillary endothelial cell (iCAP) that arises after injury, persists indefinitely, and shares transcriptional hallmarks with both developing lung endothelium and the endothelial aberrations found in degenerative human lung diseases. This comprehensive atlas of lung regeneration provides a foundational resource to understand the complexity of the cellular and molecular responses to injury, reveals the critical importance of capillary endothelium in maintaining and rebuilding the alveolar niche after injury, and correlates these responses to those found in development and human lung diseases.
Project description:Single-cell mRNA sequencing (mRNA-seq) technologies are reshaping the current cell-type classification system. In previous studies, we built a comprehensive mouse cell atlas to catalog all cell types by collecting scRNA-seq data in the fetal and adult stages. Howerver, systematically study for organism-level dynamic changes of cellular states across mouse life span are still lacking. Here, We made an updated version of mouse cell atlas (MCA) by adding scRNA-seq data covering 14 major mouse organs during different mouse development period. We revealed aging related regulatory networks and pathways that have not been well characterized previously. We found that the expressions of immune-related genes, such as antigen-presenting genes and immunoglobulin genes, appeared in non-immune cell types in aging process. We also focused on the expression of lung epithelial immunoglobulin genes and revealed their related transcriptional regulation mechanisms. The updated MCA resource provides a valuable resource for studying mammalian development, maturation and aging.
Project description:Multiple distinct cell types of the human lung and airways have been defined by single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq). Here we present a multi-omics spatial lung atlas to define novel cell types which we map back into the macro- and micro-anatomical tissue context to define functional tissue microenvironments. Firstly, we have generated single cell and nuclei RNA sequencing, VDJ-sequencing and Visium Spatial Transcriptomics data sets from 5 different locations of the human lung and airways. Secondly, we define additional cell types/states, as well as spatially map novel and known human airway cell types, such as adult lung chondrocytes, submucosal gland (SMG) duct cells, distinct pericyte and smooth muscle subtypes, immune-recruiting fibroblasts, peribronchial and perichondrial fibroblasts, peripheral nerve associated fibroblasts and Schwann cells. Finally, we define a survival niche for IgA-secreting plasma cells at the SMG, comprising the newly defined epithelial SMG-Duct cells, and B and T lineage immune cells. Using our transcriptomic data for cell-cell interaction analysis, we propose a signalling circuit that establishes and supports this niche. Overall, we provide a transcriptional and spatial lung atlas with multiple novel cell types that allows for the study of specific tissue microenvironments such as the newly defined gland-associated lymphoid niche (GALN).