scholarly journals Spatiotemporal analysis reveals significant overlap of key proepicardial markers in the developing murine heart

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina-Elena Lupu ◽  
Andia N. Redpath ◽  
Nicola Smart
Keyword(s):  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
In Situ Hybridisation ◽  
Spatiotemporal Analysis ◽  
Lineage Tracing ◽  
Coronary Smooth Muscle ◽  
Multipotent Progenitors ◽  
Epicardial Layer ◽  
Coronary Endothelium

AbstractDuring embryonic development, the epicardium provides a source of multipotent progenitors for cardiac lineages, including pericytes, fibroblasts and coronary smooth muscle cells. The epicardium originates from a region of splanchnopleural mesoderm known as the proepicardial organ (PEO). The potential of the epicardium to contribute to coronary endothelium has been disputed, due to conflicting lineage tracing results with different PEO Cre lines. Controversy also surrounds when epicardial cell fate becomes restricted. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing, microscopy and flow cytometry-based single molecule RNA in situ hybridisation techniques, we systematically investigated the expression of five widely used epicardial markers, Wt1, Tcf21, Tbx18, Sema3d and Scx, over the course of development. We show co-expression of all markers in the PEO and epicardial layer until E13.5, then sequential downregulation as it undergoes quiescence. Markers also decrease in invading epicardium-derived progenitors, with the exception of Tcf21, lost only in epicardium-derived mural cells. Moreover, we demonstrate that the epicardium does not significantly contribute coronary endothelium. Our findings clarify a number of prevailing discrepancies in the field and support the notion that epicardial fate is not pre-determined within the PEO.Summary statementAssessing expression of five principal (pro)epicardial markers reveals their complete overlap during early embryonic development, challenging previous dogma regarding the existence of sub-compartments and the pre-committed fate model.

scholarly journals Neural crest lineage analysis: from past to future trajectory

Development ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 147 (20) ◽  
pp. dev193193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiyi Tang ◽  
Marianne E. Bronner
Keyword(s):  
Neural Crest ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Cell Lineage ◽  
Neural Crest Cell ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Lineage Tracing ◽  
Migration Routes ◽  
Developmental Potential ◽  
Lineage Analysis

ABSTRACTSince its discovery 150 years ago, the neural crest has intrigued investigators owing to its remarkable developmental potential and extensive migratory ability. Cell lineage analysis has been an essential tool for exploring neural crest cell fate and migration routes. By marking progenitor cells, one can observe their subsequent locations and the cell types into which they differentiate. Here, we review major discoveries in neural crest lineage tracing from a historical perspective. We discuss how advancing technologies have refined lineage-tracing studies, and how clonal analysis can be applied to questions regarding multipotency. We also highlight how effective progenitor cell tracing, when combined with recently developed molecular and imaging tools, such as single-cell transcriptomics, single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization and high-resolution imaging, can extend the scope of neural crest lineage studies beyond development to regeneration and cancer initiation.

scholarly journals A role for the fusogen eff-1 in epidermal stem cell number robustness in Caenorhabditis elegans

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sneha L. Koneru ◽  
Fu Xiang Quah ◽  
Ritobrata Ghose ◽  
Mark Hintze ◽  
Nicola Gritti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cell ◽  
Caenorhabditis Elegans ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Phenotypic Variability ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Time Lapse ◽  
Cell Number ◽  
Seam Cell ◽  
Neuronal Tissues

AbstractDevelopmental patterning in Caenorhabditis elegans is known to proceed in a highly stereotypical manner, which raises the question of how developmental robustness is achieved despite the inevitable stochastic noise. We focus here on a population of epidermal cells, the seam cells, which show stem cell-like behaviour and divide symmetrically and asymmetrically over post-embryonic development to generate epidermal and neuronal tissues. We have conducted a mutagenesis screen to identify mutants that introduce phenotypic variability in the normally invariant seam cell population. We report here that a null mutation in the fusogen eff-1 increases seam cell number variability. Using time-lapse microscopy and single molecule fluorescence hybridisation, we find that seam cell division and differentiation patterns are mostly unperturbed in eff-1 mutants, indicating that cell fusion is uncoupled from the cell differentiation programme. Nevertheless, seam cell losses due to the inappropriate differentiation of both daughter cells following division, as well as seam cell gains through symmetric divisions towards the seam cell fate were observed at low frequency. We show that these stochastic errors likely arise through accumulation of defects interrupting the continuity of the seam and changing seam cell shape, highlighting the role of tissue homeostasis in suppressing phenotypic variability during development.

scholarly journals Taking a Step Back: Insights into the Mechanisms Regulating Gut Epithelial Dedifferentiation

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (13) ◽  
pp. 7043
Author(s):  
Shaida Ouladan ◽  
Alex Gregorieff
Keyword(s):  
Cell Fate ◽  
Hormonal Regulation ◽  
Transcriptional Profiling ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Lineage Tracing ◽  
Intestinal Stem Cells ◽  
Physical Damage ◽  
Epithelial Regeneration ◽  
Gut Epithelium ◽  
Stem Cell Populations

Despite the environmental constraints imposed upon the intestinal epithelium, this tissue must perform essential functions such as nutrient absorption and hormonal regulation, while also acting as a critical barrier to the outside world. These functions depend on a variety of specialized cell types that are constantly renewed by a rapidly proliferating population of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) residing at the base of the crypts of Lieberkühn. The niche components and signals regulating crypt morphogenesis and maintenance of homeostatic ISCs have been intensely studied over the last decades. Increasingly, however, researchers are turning their attention to unraveling the mechanisms driving gut epithelial regeneration due to physical damage or infection. It is now well established that injury to the gut barrier triggers major cell fate changes, demonstrating the highly plastic nature of the gut epithelium. In particular, lineage tracing and transcriptional profiling experiments have uncovered several injury-induced stem-cell populations and molecular markers of the regenerative state. Despite the progress achieved in recent years, several questions remain unresolved, particularly regarding the mechanisms driving dedifferentiation of the gut epithelium. In this review, we summarize the latest studies, primarily from murine models, that define the regenerative processes governing the gut epithelium and discuss areas that will require more in-depth investigation.

scholarly journals Intravital microscopy imaging of kidney injury and regeneration

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Liu ◽  
Zongjin Li
Keyword(s):  
Cell Fate ◽  
Intravital Microscopy ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Elevated Serum ◽  
Kidney Injury ◽  
Lineage Tracing ◽  
Tissue Slices ◽  
Microscopy Imaging ◽  
Two Photon Microscopy ◽  
Nitrogen Levels

AbstractAcute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical symptom, which is mainly manifested by elevated serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels. When AKI is not repaired in time, the patient is prone to develop chronic kidney disease (CKD). The kidney is composed of more than 30 different cells, and its structure is complex. It is extremely challenging to understand the lineage relationships and cell fate of these cells in the process of kidney injury and regeneration. Since the 20th century, lineage tracing technology has provided an important mean for studying organ development, tissue damage repair, and the differentiation and fate of single cells. However, traditional lineage tracing methods rely on sacrificing animals to make tissue slices and then take snapshots with conventional imaging tools to obtain interesting information. This method cannot achieve dynamic and continuous monitoring of cell actions on living animals. As a kind of intravital microscopy (IVM), two-photon microscopy (TPM) has successfully solved the above problems. Because TPM has the ability to penetrate deep tissues and can achieve imaging at the single cell level, lineage tracing technology with TPM is gradually becoming popular. In this review, we provided the key technical elements of lineage tracing, and how to use intravital imaging technology to visualize and quantify the fate of renal cells.

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy: The technique and its applications in soft matter

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anjali Gupta ◽  
Jagadish Sankaran ◽  
Thorsten Wohland
Keyword(s):  
Single Molecule ◽  
Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy ◽  
Soft Matter ◽  
Photophysical Properties ◽  
Spatiotemporal Analysis ◽  
Correlation Spectroscopy ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Chemical Reaction Kinetics ◽  
Fluorescence Correlation ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is a well-established single-molecule method used for the quantitative spatiotemporal analysis of dynamic processes in a wide range of samples. It possesses single-molecule sensitivity but provides ensemble averaged molecular parameters such as mobility, concentration, chemical reaction kinetics, photophysical properties and interaction properties. These parameters have been utilized to characterize a variety of soft matter systems. This review provides an overview of the basic principles of various FCS modalities, their instrumentation, data analysis, and the applications of FCS to soft matter systems.

scholarly journals Coronary blood vessels from distinct origins converge to equivalent states during mouse and human development

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ragini S Phansalkar ◽  
Josephine Krieger ◽  
Mingming Zhao ◽  
Sai Saroja Kolluru ◽  
Robert C Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Vessels ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Adult Mouse ◽  
Coronary Vessels ◽  
Lineage Tracing ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Functional Differences ◽  
Coronary Blood Vessels ◽  
Two Populations

Most cell fate trajectories during development follow a diverging, tree-like branching pattern, but the opposite can occur when distinct progenitors contribute to the same cell type. During this convergent differentiation, it is unknown if cells "remember" their origins transcriptionally or whether this influences cell behavior. Most coronary blood vessels of the heart develop from two different progenitor sources-the endocardium (Endo) and sinus venosus (SV)-but whether transcriptional or functional differences related to origin are retained is unknown. We addressed this by combining lineage tracing with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) in embryonic and adult mouse hearts. Shortly after coronary development begins, capillary ECs transcriptionally segregated into two states that retained progenitor-specific gene expression. Later in development, when the coronary vasculature is well-established but still remodeling, capillary ECs again segregated into two populations, but transcriptional differences were related to tissue localization rather than lineage. Specifically, ECs in the heart septum expressed genes indicative of increased local hypoxia and decreased blood flow. Adult capillary ECs were more homogeneous and lacked indications of either lineage or location. In agreement, SV- and Endo-derived ECs in adult hearts displayed similar responses to injury. Finally, scRNAseq of developing human coronary vessels indicated that the human heart followed similar principles. Thus, over the course of development, transcriptional heterogeneity in coronary ECs is first influenced by lineage, then by location, until heterogeneity disappears in the homeostatic adult heart. These results highlight the plasticity of ECs during development, and the validity of the mouse as a model for human coronary development.

scholarly journals Generative modeling of single-cell population time series for inferring cell differentiation landscapes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace H.T. Yeo ◽  
Sachit D. Saksena ◽  
David K. Gifford
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Time Series ◽  
Cell Differentiation ◽  
Single Cell ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Lineage Tracing ◽  
Model Framework ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Generative Modeling ◽  
Model Complex

SummaryExisting computational methods that use single-cell RNA-sequencing for cell fate prediction either summarize observations of cell states and their couplings without modeling the underlying differentiation process, or are limited in their capacity to model complex differentiation landscapes. Thus, contemporary methods cannot predict how cells evolve stochastically and in physical time from an arbitrary starting expression state, nor can they model the cell fate consequences of gene expression perturbations. We introduce PRESCIENT (Potential eneRgy undErlying Single Cell gradIENTs), a generative modeling framework that learns an underlying differentiation landscape from single-cell time-series gene expression data. Our generative model framework provides insight into the process of differentiation and can simulate differentiation trajectories for arbitrary gene expression progenitor states. We validate our method on a recently published experimental lineage tracing dataset that provides observed trajectories. We show that this model is able to predict the fate biases of progenitor cells in neutrophil/macrophage lineages when accounting for cell proliferation, improving upon the best-performing existing method. We also show how a model can predict trajectories for cells not found in the model’s training set, including cells in which genes or sets of genes have been perturbed. PRESCIENT is able to accommodate complex perturbations of multiple genes, at different time points and from different starting cell populations. PRESCIENT models are able to recover the expected effects of known modulators of cell fate in hematopoiesis and pancreatic β cell differentiation.

scholarly journals Perivascular cells support folliculogenesis in the developing ovary

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuyun Li ◽  
Bidur Bhandary ◽  
Tony DeFalco
Keyword(s):  
Granulosa Cells ◽  
Lineage Tracing ◽  
Female Gonad ◽  
Perivascular Cells ◽  
Cell Specification ◽  
Perivascular Cell ◽  
Culture Techniques ◽  
Ovarian Differentiation ◽  
Multipotent Progenitors ◽  
Cellular Source

AbstractGranulosa cells, supporting cells of the ovary, are essential for ovarian differentiation by providing a nurturing environment for oogenesis. Sufficient numbers of granulosa cells are vital for establishment of follicles and the oocyte reserve; therefore, identifying the cellular source from which granulosa cells are derived is critical for understanding basic ovarian biology. One cell type that has received little attention in this field is the perivascular cell. Here we use lineage tracing and organ culture techniques in mice to identify ovarian Nestin+ perivascular cells as multipotent progenitors that contribute to granulosa, thecal, and pericyte lineages. Maintenance of these progenitors was dependent on vascular-mesenchymal Notch signaling. Ablation of postnatal Nestin+ cells resulted in a disruption of granulosa cell specification and an increased incidence of polyovular ovarian follicles, thus uncovering key roles for vasculature in ovarian differentiation. These findings may provide new insights into the origins of female gonad dysgenesis and infertility.

scholarly journals A novel Axin2 knock-in mouse model for visualization and lineage tracing of WNT/CTNNB1 responsive cells

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anoeska Agatha Alida van de Moosdijk ◽  
Yorick Bernardus Cornelis van de Grift ◽  
Saskia Madelon Ada de Man ◽  
Amber Lisanne Zeeman ◽  
Renée van Amerongen
Keyword(s):  
Cell Fate ◽  
Mouse Strain ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Lineage Tracing ◽  
Fluorescent Reporter ◽  
Cell Fate Decisions ◽  
Stem Cell Maintenance ◽  
Signaling Dynamics ◽  
Before And After

AbstractWnt signal transduction controls tissue morphogenesis, maintenance and regeneration in all multicellular animals. In mammals, the WNT/CTNNB1 (Wnt/β-catenin) pathway controls cell proliferation and cell fate decisions before and after birth. It plays a critical role at multiple stages of embryonic development, but also governs stem cell maintenance and homeostasis in adult tissues. However, it remains challenging to monitor endogenous WNT/CTNNB1 signaling dynamics in vivo. Here we report the generation and characterization of a new knock-in mouse strain that doubles as a fluorescent reporter and lineage tracing driver for WNT/CTNNB1 responsive cells. We introduced a multi-cistronic targeting cassette at the 3’ end of the universal WNT/CTNNB1 target gene Axin2. The resulting knock-in allele expresses a bright fluorescent reporter (3xNLS-SGFP2) and a doxycycline-inducible driver for lineage tracing (rtTA3). We show that the Axin2P2A-rtTA3-T2A-3xNLS-SGFP2 strain labels WNT/CTNNB1 cells at multiple anatomical sites during different stages of embryonic and postnatal development. It faithfully reports the subtle and dynamic changes in physiological WNT/CTNNB1 signaling activity that occur in vivo. We expect this mouse strain to be a useful resource for biologists who want to track and trace the location and developmental fate of WNT/CTNNB1 responsive stem cells in different contexts.Abstract Figure

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