Parallel Single-Cell RNA-Seq and Genetic Recording Reveals Lineage Decisions in Developing Embryoid Bodies.

ABSTRACT: Early developmental specification can be modeled by differentiating embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to embryoid bodies (EBs), a heterogeneous mixture of three germ layers. Here, we combine single-cell transcriptomics and genetic recording to characterize EB differentiation. We map transcriptional states along a time course and model cell fate trajectories and branchpoints as cells progress to distinct germ layers. To validate this inferential model, we propose an innovative inducible genetic recording technique that leverages recombination to generate cell-specific, timestamp barcodes in a narrow temporal window. We validate trajectory architecture and key branchpoints, including early specification of a primordial germ cell (PGC)-like lineage from preimplantation epiblast-like cells. We furth

SUBMITTER: Kim IS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7646252 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature