Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026
11:11
Adipocyte-Specific ATAC-Seq with Adipose Tissues Using Fluorescence-Activated Nucleus Sorting
Published on: March 17, 2023
A Cross-Species Single-Cell Transcriptomic Atlas of Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Reveals Conserved and Divergent
Xinran Niu1, Liwei Zhai1, Lulu Wang1
1College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
Animal Genetics
|June 24, 2026
Summary
This study reveals conserved cell types in mammalian adipose tissue, like adipocytes and immune cells, while highlighting unique cell populations and gene functions in cattle, pigs, and humans, crucial for comparative biology.
Area of Science:
- Comparative genomics
- Metabolic research
- Cellular biology
Background:
- Adipose tissue is a key metabolic organ regulating energy homeostasis.
- Understanding cross-species conservation and divergence in adipose tissue cellularity and gene expression is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a cross-species single-cell atlas of subcutaneous adipose tissue.
- To identify conserved and species-specific cell types and transcriptional features.
- To elucidate functional differences in adipocytes across species.
Main Methods:
- Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of adipose tissue from cattle, pigs, and humans.
- Identification and comparison of cell types across species.
- Differential gene expression analysis and Gene Ontology enrichment analysis.
Main Results:
- Conserved cell types include adipocytes, adipose stem and progenitor cells (ASPCs), macrophages, endothelial cells, and T cells.
- Species-specific cell types were identified: mesenchymal and B cells in pigs, distinct preadipocytes in cattle, and dendritic and mast cells in humans.
- Adipocyte-specific genes in cattle are linked to cytoskeleton and triglyceride synthesis; in pigs, to oxidative phosphorylation and thermogenesis; and in humans, to lipid transport and immune signaling.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive cross-species single-cell atlas of adipose tissue has been established.
- The study provides insights into conserved adipose tissue architecture and species-specific adaptations.
- This resource is valuable for comparative biology and livestock research.
