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Updated: Jan 29, 2026

Single-cell Microinjection for Cell Communication Analysis
Published on: February 26, 2017
Single-Cell RNA-Seq Reveals Conserved Cellular Communication Mechanisms Governing Ocular Lineage Specification from
Laura Howard1,2, Yuki Ishikawa3,4, Rei Kamuro4,5
1School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, Wales, UK.
None:
The complexity of cell fate decisions that underpin early eye development can be effectively modelled by leveraging the unique properties of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). In this study, we have utilised transcriptomic data generated from hiPSCs as they begin to self-organise and differentiate into two-dimensional eye-like organoids in vitro, and employ advanced single-cell analytical tools to dissect the cellular communication networks that direct this dynamic process. We have identified key signalling mediators and transcriptional effectors that guide the transition from pluripotency through to ocular differentiation, and our analyses reveal the conservation of developmentally defined signalling pathways. Members of the Activin, FGF, BMP, WNT, and retinoic acid families of ligands and receptors displayed communication probabilities consistent with their ocular-specific developmental roles in vivo, and this was accompanied by conserved tissue-specific activity of transcriptional regulators. These findings not only highlight the utility of hiPSCs for studying the cellular interactions and molecular pathways that drive early developmental decisions, but also advance our understanding of eye development in an accessible stem cell-based system.
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