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Temporal and spatial atlas of eosinophil specialization across tissues
Yanan Hu1, Lianfu Wu2,3, Sihao Qu1
1Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and Center for Human Translational Immunology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Nature Immunology
|January 9, 2026
Summary
Mouse eosinophils specialize based on where they live and how long they stay. This study reveals how tissue residency shapes eosinophil diversity, offering insights into their roles in health and disease.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cell Biology
- Systems Biology
Background:
- Eosinophils are key immune cells with diverse functions.
- Their specialization across different tissues is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a comprehensive atlas of mouse eosinophils.
- To define the factors driving eosinophil heterogeneity and specialization.
Main Methods:
- Single-cell transcriptomics and proteomics.
- High-dimensional surface marker analysis.
- In vivo fate mapping of eosinophils.
Main Results:
- Eosinophil identity is determined by tissue cues and residency duration.
- Long-lived intestinal eosinophils show significant diversification.
- Short-lived lung and intermediate-lived colon eosinophils are more uniform.
- Identified surface markers track eosinophil maturation from progenitors.
Conclusions:
- Tissue residency time is a critical driver of eosinophil maturation and diversification.
- This work provides a framework for understanding eosinophil states in various conditions.
- Offers a molecular toolkit for studying eosinophils in health and disease.
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