Cross-Tissue Characterization of Heterogeneities of Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Their Differentiation Potentials

Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

Xingfu Li¹  Xiao Xu¹  Daping Wang¹  Changyuan Huang²  Li Duan³  Wenhong Hou⁴  Wenfei Jin⁴  Ni Hong⁴  Pengfei Qin⁴ 

[1] Department of Orthopedics, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China;School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China;Shenzhen Institute of Geriatircs, Shenzhen, China;Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China;

关键词: Mesenchymal stem cells;    single cell RNA-seq;    cellular heterogeneity;    cellular differentiation;    chondrogenic differentiation;    adipogenic differentiation;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fcell.2021.781021

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are promising cell sources for regenerative medicine and the treatment of autoimmune disorders. Comparing MSCs from different tissues at the single-cell level is fundamental for optimizing clinical applications. Here we analyzed single-cell RNA-seq data of MSCs from four tissues, namely umbilical cord, bone marrow, synovial tissue, and adipose tissue. We identified three major cell subpopulations, namely osteo-MSCs, chondro-MSCs, and adipo/myo-MSCs, across all MSC samples. MSCs from the umbilical cord exhibited the highest immunosuppression, potentially indicating it is the best immune modulator for autoimmune diseases. MSC subpopulations, with different subtypes and tissue sources, showed pronounced differences in differentiation potentials. After we compared the cell subpopulations and cell status pre-and-post chondrogenesis induction, osteogenesis induction, and adipogenesis induction, respectively, we found MSC subpopulations expanded and differentiated when their subtypes consist with induction directions, while the other subpopulations shrank. We identified the genes and transcription factors underlying each induction at the single-cell level and subpopulation level, providing better targets for improving induction efficiency.

【 授权许可】

Unknown