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Single-Cell Transcriptome Atlas of Murine Endothelial Cells
Joanna Kalucka1, Laura P M H de Rooij1, Jermaine Goveia1
1Laboratory of Angiogenesis and Vascular Metabolism, Center for Cancer Biology, and Department of Oncology and Leuven Cancer Institute (LKI), VIB and KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Cell
|February 16, 2020
Summary
This study maps over 32,000 endothelial cells (ECs) across 11 mouse tissues, revealing 78 distinct EC subclusters. Tissue type, not vessel type, drives EC heterogeneity, offering a new resource for vascular research.
Area of Science:
- Endothelial cell biology
- Transcriptomics
- Vascular research
Background:
- Endothelial cell (EC) heterogeneity across different tissues is not fully understood.
- Existing knowledge gaps hinder comprehensive analysis of vascular functions and diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a comprehensive single-cell transcriptome atlas of endothelial cells (ECs) from multiple mouse tissues.
- To identify and classify distinct EC subclusters and understand the drivers of EC heterogeneity.
Main Methods:
- Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of over 32,000 endothelial cells from 11 mouse tissues.
- Bioinformatic analysis to identify EC subclusters, marker genes, and assess transcriptome similarity.
Main Results:
- Identified 78 distinct EC subclusters, including tissue-specific subtypes like Aqp7+ intestinal capillaries.
- Found that tissue type, rather than vessel type (arterial, venous, capillary, lymphatic), is the primary determinant of EC heterogeneity.
- Revealed tissue-dependent patterns in metabolic gene expression within ECs.
Conclusions:
- The developed EC atlas provides a valuable resource for discovering EC subtypes and understanding vascular biology.
- Tissue-specific EC transcriptomes play a crucial role in vascular heterogeneity.
- This taxonomy facilitates the identification of EC subclusters in public datasets, advancing vascular research.
