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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Transcriptional Analysis by Nascent RNA FISH of In Vivo Trophoblast Giant Cells or In Vitro Short-term Cultures of Ectoplacental Cone Explants
Published on: August 31, 2016
Family single-cell atlases reveal pig pregnancy and fetal growth restriction critical cell types
Liping Cai1, Qing Zhang1, Tianxiong Yao1
1National Key Laboratory for Swine Genetic Improvement and Germplasm Innovation, Ministry of Science and Technology of China, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, China.
Abstract:
Although massive cell atlases are already available, it is still a challenge to obtain an atlas of all tissues within a single body, especially in fetuses and pregnant mothers. We present a transcriptomic atlas of 2.56 million single cells covering 115 and 119 tissues from one fetal pig and its pregnant mother, respectively. We found that a cluster of heart capillary endothelial cells with enhanced fatty acid transit capability was enriched for pregnancy but restored after gestation. We also deciphered that l-leucine transport insufficiency in the trophoblast causes fetal growth restriction by reducing a muscle type II myofiber subcluster. Our "all-from-one" strategy enabled the identification of tissue cell type-specific transcription factors and provided insights into pregnancy heart adaptation and fetal growth restriction.

