Single cell RNA-seq identifies the origins of heterogeneity in efficient cell transdifferentiation and reprogramming.

ABSTRACT: Forced transcription factor expression can transdifferentiate somatic cells into other specialised cell types or reprogram them into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with variable efficiency. To better understand the heterogeneity of these processes, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to follow the transdifferentation of murine pre-B cells into macrophages as well as their reprogramming into iPSCs. Even in these highly efficient systems, there was substantial variation in the speed and path of fate conversion. We predicted and validated that these differences are inversely coupled and arise in the starting cell population, with Myc^high large pre-BII cells transdifferentiating slowly but reprogramming efficiently and Myc^low small pre-BII cells transdifferentiatin

SUBMITTER: Francesconi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6435319 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature