4.7 Article

Single-cell transcriptome profiling of the human developing spinal cord reveals a conserved genetic programme with human-specific features

Journal

DEVELOPMENT
Volume 148, Issue 15, Pages -

Publisher

COMPANY BIOLOGISTS LTD
DOI: 10.1242/dev.199711

Keywords

Developmental patterning; Human; Neuronal subtype identity; Single-cell transcriptome; Spinal cord

Funding

  1. Wellcome Trust [215116/Z/18/Z]
  2. European Molecular Biology Organization [ALTF 328-2015]
  3. Francis Crick Institute
  4. Wellcome Trust [215116/Z/18/Z] Funding Source: Wellcome Trust

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By using single-cell mRNA sequencing, we investigated the cellular diversity and complexity in the developing human neural tube, identifying dozens of distinct cell types and reconstructing differentiation pathways of specific neuronal subtypes. Comparison with mouse neural tube development showed overall similarity with some highlighted human-specific features. This data provides a catalog of gene expression and cell type identity in the human neural tube, supporting future studies of sensory and motor control systems. The data can be explored at https://shiny.crick.ac.uk/scviewer/neuraltube/.
The spinal cord receives input from peripheral sensory neurons and controls motor output by regulating muscle innervating motor neurons. These functions are carried out by neural circuits comprising molecularly distinct neuronal subtypes generated in a characteristic spatiotemporal arrangement from progenitors in the embryonic neural tube. To gain insight into the diversity and complexity of cells in the developing human neural tube, we used single-cell mRNA sequencing to profile cervical and thoracic regions in four human embryos of Camegie stages (CS) CS12, CS14, CS17 and CS19 from gestational weeks 4-7. Analysis of progenitor and neuronal populations from the neural tube and dorsal root ganglia identified dozens of distinct cell types and facilitated the reconstruction of the differentiation pathways of specific neuronal subtypes. Comparison with mouse revealed overall similarity of mammalian neural tube development while highlighting some human-specific features. These data provide a catalogue of gene expression and cell type identity in the human neural tube that will support future studies of sensory and motor control systems. The data can be explored at https://shiny.crick.ac.uk/scviewer/neuraltube/.

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