Single cell analysis of the developing mouse kidney provides deeper insight into marker gene expression and ligand-receptor crosstalk

organogenesis
single-cell
rna-seq
mouse
kidney
development
nephron
Authors

Alexander N Combes

Belinda Phipson

Kynan T Lawlor

Aude Dorison

Ralph Patrick

Luke Zappia

Richard P Harvey

Alicia Oshlack

Melissa H Little

Date

June 1, 2019

Links
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Abstract

Recent advances in the generation of kidney organoids and the culture of primary nephron progenitors from mouse and human have been based on knowledge of the molecular basis of kidney development in mice. Although gene expression during kidney development has been intensely investigated, single cell profiling provides new opportunities to further subsect component cell types and the signalling networks at play. Here, we describe the generation and analysis of 6732 single cell transcriptomes from the fetal mouse kidney [embryonic day (E)18.5] and 7853 sorted nephron progenitor cells (E14.5). These datasets provide improved resolution of cell types and specific markers, including subdivision of the renal stroma and heterogeneity within the nephron progenitor population. Ligand-receptor interaction and pathway analysis reveals novel crosstalk between cellular compartments and associates new pathways with differentiation of nephron and ureteric epithelium cell types. We identify transcriptional congruence between the distal nephron and ureteric epithelium, showing that most markers previously used to identify ureteric epithelium are not specific. Together, this work improves our understanding of metanephric kidney development and provides a template to guide the regeneration of renal tissue.

Citation

BibTeX citation:
@article{n_combes2019,
  author = {N Combes, Alexander and Phipson, Belinda and T Lawlor, Kynan
    and Dorison, Aude and Patrick, Ralph and Zappia, Luke and P Harvey,
    Richard and Oshlack, Alicia and H Little, Melissa},
  title = {Single Cell Analysis of the Developing Mouse Kidney Provides
    Deeper Insight into Marker Gene Expression and Ligand-Receptor
    Crosstalk},
  journal = {Development},
  volume = {146},
  number = {12},
  date = {2019-06-01},
  url = {https://lazappi.id.au/publications/2019-combes-mouse-kidney/},
  doi = {10.1242/dev.178673},
  issn = {0950-1991, 1477-9129},
  langid = {en},
  abstract = {Recent advances in the generation of kidney organoids and
    the culture of primary nephron progenitors from mouse and human have
    been based on knowledge of the molecular basis of kidney development
    in mice. Although gene expression during kidney development has been
    intensely investigated, single cell profiling provides new
    opportunities to further subsect component cell types and the
    signalling networks at play. Here, we describe the generation and
    analysis of 6732 single cell transcriptomes from the fetal mouse
    kidney {[}embryonic day (E)18.5{]} and 7853 sorted nephron
    progenitor cells (E14.5). These datasets provide improved resolution
    of cell types and specific markers, including subdivision of the
    renal stroma and heterogeneity within the nephron progenitor
    population. Ligand-receptor interaction and pathway analysis reveals
    novel crosstalk between cellular compartments and associates new
    pathways with differentiation of nephron and ureteric epithelium
    cell types. We identify transcriptional congruence between the
    distal nephron and ureteric epithelium, showing that most markers
    previously used to identify ureteric epithelium are not specific.
    Together, this work improves our understanding of metanephric kidney
    development and provides a template to guide the regeneration of
    renal tissue.}
}
For attribution, please cite this work as:
N Combes, Alexander, Belinda Phipson, Kynan T Lawlor, Aude Dorison, Ralph Patrick, Luke Zappia, Richard P Harvey, Alicia Oshlack, and Melissa H Little. 2019. “Single Cell Analysis of the Developing Mouse Kidney Provides Deeper Insight into Marker Gene Expression and Ligand-Receptor Crosstalk.” Development 146 (June). https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.178673.