Project description:To explore which signaling pathways are of importance in maintenance of human epidermal keratinocytes we have established a protocol which allows single cell expression profiling. The protocol was applied to cultured human epidermal keratinocytes, and single cell cDNA libraries from stem and transit amplifying cells were identified based on the expression of known SC markers, MCSP and Dll1. We used microarrays to obtain expression profiles from single cells and identify common denominators that could be important for maintenance and signalling in epidermal stem cells. Keywords: Timecourse
Project description:The mouse epidermis develops from a single layer of cells at e9.5 to a fully formed organ at birth capable of performing essential functions. The regularity of the epidermal differentiation program creates an excellent system to explore the mechanisms required for this transition from transit amplifying/ stem cell to differentiated cell and to identify key regulators in this biological process. Here we use FACS sorting of transgenic mice to separate the developing epidermis into its differentiating populations. Though many key players in epidermal differentiation have been identified, the challenge of examining the process in vivo has limited discovery of novel associated pathways and proteins. With this profiling we aim to create a map of epidermal development for identificatin of novel regulators of this process.
Project description:Intra-tumor heterogeneity of tumor-initiating cell (TIC) activity drives colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and therapy resistance. Here, we used single-cell mRNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of patient-derived CRC models to decipher distinct cell subpopulations based on their transcriptional profiles. Cell type-specific expression modules of stem-like, transit amplifying-like, and differentiated CRC cells resemble differentiation states of normal intestinal epithelial cells. Strikingly, identified subpopulations differ in proliferative activity and metabolic state. In summary, we here show at single-cell resolution that transcriptional heterogeneity identifies functional states during TIC differentiation. Targeting transcriptional states associated to cancer cell differentiation might unravel vulnerabilities in human CRC.
Project description:Neural stem cells, located in discrete niches in the adult brain, generate new neurons throughout life. These stem cells are specialized astrocytes, but astrocytes in other brain regions (parenchymal astrocytes) do not generate neurons under physiological conditions. After stroke, however, astrocytes in the mouse striatum undergo neurogenesis, triggered by decreased Notch signaling. Notch signaling can be experimentally depleted in mice by deleting the Notch-mediating transcription factor Rbpj. This dataset consists of single-cell RNA sequencing data of astrocytes isolated from the striatum (where astrocytes undergo neurogenesis in response to Rbpj deletion) or somatosensory cortex (where astrocytes don't complete neurogenesis in response to Rbpj deletion) of 4 mice. Cells were isolated from Cx30-CreER; R26-tdTomato; Rbpj(fl/fl) mice at three time points after tamoxifen-induced Rbpj deletion (2, 4, 8 weeks), and from Cx30-CreER; R26-tdTomato mice with intact Rbpj 3 days after tamoxifen. These time points span the transition from astrocyte through transit-amplifying cells to neuroblasts. The dataset contains 1) astrocytes from the striatum that initiate a neurogenic transcriptional program in response to Rbpj deletion and generate transit-amplifying cells and neuroblasts, and 2) astrocytes from the somatosensory cortex that initiate a neurogenic program in response to Rbpj deletion but fail to generate transit-amplifying cells or neuroblasts.
Project description:We performed ChIP_Seq on purified hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs)and their direct progenty, transit amplifying cells (TACs) using and antibody against pSMAD1/5/8. We report novel common and unique in vivo pSMAD targets for each population. Examination of pSMAD1/5/8 targets in a stem cell lineage
Project description:RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) control the fate of RNAs. Tissue regeneration and homeostasis depend on tissue-specific stem cells, but the scope of RBP involvementin these processes remains largely unknown. Here, we identified the RBP repertoire of the mouse undifferentiated spermatogonial population that consists of stem cells and transit amplifying progenitors.
Project description:Regulation of transit amplifying cell formation from self-renewing stem cell is fundamental process for cell replacement in a controlled way. Here we analyse the properties of a population of mesenchymal TACs in the continuously growing mouse incisor to identify key components of the molecular regulation that drives proliferation. Using gene microarray profiling, we show that the polycomb repressive complex 1 acts as a global regulator of the TAC phenotype by its direct action on the expression of key cell cycle regulatory genes and also by regulating Wnt/b-catenin signalling activity. Analysing the properties of mesenchymal transit amplifying cells population and identifing key components of the molecular regulation that drives proliferation.
Project description:Autologous epidermal cultures can permanently restore a functional epidermis on severely burned patients. Transgenic epidermal grafts do so also in genetic skin diseases as Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa. Clinical success strictly requires an adequate number of epidermal stem cells, detected as holoclone-forming cells. To date, such cells can be only partially distinguished from the other transient amplifying clonogenic keratinocytes and cannot be prospectively isolated. Here we show that genome-wide single-cell transcriptome analysis performed on primary human epidermal keratinocyte cultures identified categories of genes clearly distinguishing the different clonal types, unveiled that holoclone-forming cells are enriched in genes regulating cell cycle, DNA repair (including telomerase), chromosome segregation and spindle organization, confirmed that human epidermal keratinocytes are hierarchically organized along a continuous, mainly linear trajectory showing that stem cells sequentially generate progenitors producing terminally differentiated cells and uncovered the role of FOXM1 as a YAP-dependent key regulator of normal and adhesion-defective epidermal stem cells.
Project description:Autologous epidermal cultures can permanently restore a functional epidermis on severely burned patients. Transgenic epidermal grafts do so also in genetic skin diseases as Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa. Clinical success strictly requires an adequate number of epidermal stem cells, detected as holoclone-forming cells. To date, such cells can be only partially distinguished from the other transient amplifying clonogenic keratinocytes and cannot be prospectively isolated. Here we show that genome-wide single-cell transcriptome analysis performed on primary human epidermal keratinocyte cultures identified categories of genes clearly distinguishing the different clonal types, unveiled that holoclone-forming cells are enriched in genes regulating cell cycle, DNA repair (including telomerase), chromosome segregation and spindle organization, confirmed that human epidermal keratinocytes are hierarchically organized along a continuous, mainly linear trajectory showing that stem cells sequentially generate progenitors producing terminally differentiated cells and uncovered the role of FOXM1 as a YAP-dependent key regulator of normal and adhesion-defective epidermal stem cells.