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Establishment and Histological Analysis of Esophageal Organoids Modeling the Progression from Normal to Cancerous Tissues

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Deciphering precursor cell dynamics in esophageal preneoplasia via genetic barcoding and single-cell transcriptomics.

Jinho Jang¹, Kyung-Pil Ko¹, Jie Zhang¹

¹Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|December 3, 2025

Summary

Researchers traced esophageal preneoplastic cell lineage using genetic barcoding and single-cell RNA sequencing. They identified a progenitor-like cell population with high plasticity, revealing molecular markers for early cancer detection and therapy.

Keywords:

cell lineage tracing esophageal squamous cell cancer genetic barcoding preneoplasia single-cell transcriptomics

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Conditional Reprogramming of Pediatric Human Esophageal Epithelial Cells for Use in Tissue Engineering and Disease Investigation

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Published on: March 22, 2017

Area of Science:

Oncology
Cell Biology
Genetics

Background:

Esophageal preneoplastic cells, though histologically normal, possess early genetic alterations and lineage plasticity.
The origins and developmental trajectories of these precursor cells remain largely unknown.
Understanding these dynamics is crucial for early cancer detection and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the origins and lineage trajectories of esophageal preneoplastic cells.
To identify molecular markers defining these precursor cells.
To explore the potential of these cells as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for esophageal squamous cell cancer.

Main Methods:

Combined genetic barcoding with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to trace cell lineages.
Developed a scoring system to map high-plasticity cells and their contributions.
Utilized spatial transcriptomics and a Trp53 Cdkn2a Notch1 mouse model for validation.

Main Results:

Identified a distinct progenitor-like cell population exhibiting high plasticity.
Mapped the contributions of these high-plasticity cells to proliferative and basal cell populations.
Discovered novel molecular markers, Nfib and Qk, defining these precursor cells.

Conclusions:

Esophageal preneoplastic cells possess significant lineage plasticity originating from progenitor-like cells.
Identified molecular markers (Nfib, Qk) can define these precursor cells.
These findings offer critical insights into early tumorigenesis and pave the way for novel biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for esophageal squamous cell cancer.