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Transcriptomic profile comparison reveals conservation of ionocytes across multiple organs
Carla Pou Casellas1,2, Cayetano Pleguezuelos-Manzano1, Maarten B Rookmaaker2
1Oncode Institute, Hubrecht Institute, Royal Dutch Academy of Science (KNAW) and University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Scientific Reports
|March 2, 2023
Summary
Researchers identified a conserved family of ionocytes across multiple mammalian organs. These specialized cells, marked by FOXI1 expression, regulate fluid balance and pH, revealing a common cellular signature in diverse tissues.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Genomics
- Physiology
Background:
- Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals novel cell types, including airway ionocytes crucial for fluid and pH regulation.
- Similar cell types with diverse names exist in organs like the kidney, inner ear, and salivary glands.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare transcriptomic profiles of FOXI1-expressing cells across various human and murine tissues.
- To identify the core molecular signature of the ionocyte family and assess inter-organ similarities.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of publicly available single-cell RNA sequencing datasets.
- Comparative transcriptomic profiling of FOXI1-positive cells from kidney, airway, epididymis, thymus, skin, inner ear, salivary gland, and prostate.
Main Results:
- FOXI1-expressing cells were identified in multiple mammalian organs.
- A conserved set of genes, including FOXI1, KRT7, and ATP6V1B1, defines the ionocyte signature across these tissues.
- Demonstrated significant transcriptomic similarities among ionocytes from different organs.
Conclusions:
- Ionocytes represent a conserved cell type across diverse mammalian organs, sharing a core transcriptomic signature.
- The identified ionocyte signature highlights their fundamental role in fluid osmolarity and pH homeostasis.
- This finding unifies our understanding of these specialized cells in various physiological contexts.
