Profiling mouse cochlear cell maturation using 10× Genomics single-cell transcriptomics.

Area of Science:

• Auditory Neuroscience
• Developmental Biology
• Genomics

Background:

• The mouse cochlea contains vulnerable sensory cells crucial for hearing.
• Profiling these cells during maturation is challenging due to their low abundance and location.
• Understanding cochlear development at single-cell resolution is vital for addressing hearing impairments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To perform single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on mouse cochleae at postnatal days 14 and 28.
• To characterize the dynamic transcriptome changes of cochlear cell types during maturation.
• To identify key genes and cellular processes involved in cochlear development.

Main Methods:

• 10x Genomics single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was applied to mouse cochleae at P14 and P28.
• Transcriptomic data were analyzed to identify and profile various cell types, including hair cells and spiral ganglia.
• Pseudotime trajectory analysis was used to determine cell maturation dynamics.

Main Results:

• Transcriptomes of hair cells, supporting cells, spiral ganglia, stria fibrocytes, and immune cells were obtained.
• scRNA-seq data for hair cells aligned with existing bulk RNA-seq findings.
• Inner hair cell maturation peaked at P14, while outer hair cells continued developing until P28.
• The long non-coding RNA Miat and Pcp4 were identified in maturing cochlear cells.

Conclusions:

• This study provides a comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic atlas of the developing mouse cochlea.
• The findings reveal distinct maturation trajectories for inner and outer hair cells.
• These datasets serve as a valuable resource for investigating cochlear maturation and deafness genetics.