Wnt signaling preserves progenitor cell multipotency during adipose tissue development

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Stem Cell Research

Background:

• Mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells are vital for tissue development and repair.
• The mechanism maintaining these cells under chronic differentiation pressure was previously unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how mesenchymal progenitor cells are maintained during adipose differentiation.
• To identify cellular mechanisms ensuring lifelong tissue development, repair, and metabolic control.

Main Methods:

• Single-cell transcriptomics of human progenitor cells.
• Analysis of cellular differentiation trajectories under adipose stimuli.
• Identification of gene expression patterns and signaling pathways involved.

Main Results:

• Adipose differentiation stimuli induced two cell populations: mature adipocytes and progenitor-maintaining cells.
• These progenitor-maintaining cells, termed structural Wnt-regulated adipose tissue cells, are induced by transient Wnt pathway activation.
• These cells express extracellular matrix genes and their signature is found in adult human adipose tissue and engineered adipose tissue in mice.

Conclusions:

• A novel mechanism maintains mesenchymal progenitor cell pools during adipose differentiation.
• Structural Wnt-regulated adipose tissue cells play a role in tissue development, repair, and metabolic homeostasis.
• This discovery provides insights into lifelong tissue maintenance and regeneration.