Single cell map of the adult female mouse urethra reveals epithelial and stromal macrophages with distinct functional identities
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE293686 | GEO | 2025/09/10
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:We have employed single cell RNA-sequencing to create a cellular atlas of the female mouse urethra. The epithelial lining of the urethra is an understudied mucosal barrier. Emerging evidence points to the role of the urethra in pathogen surveillance, sensation and response. In this study, we instilled female mice transurethrally with PBS or LPS (1 mg/ml) and collected urethras at 3 hours post-instillation. Single cell RNA-sequencing was performing to assess changes in immune and epithelial cell types after LPS treatment.
2025-09-10 | GSE304686 | GEO
Project description:The epithelial lining of the urethra is an understudied mucosal barrier with emerging roles in antimicrobial defense during urinary tract infections. Here, we present a comprehensive cellular atlas of the adult female mouse urethra, focusing on epithelial and resident immune cells which act in concert at mucosal sites to direct host defense. Single cell RNA-sequencing revealed two distinct macrophage populations compartmentalized within the epithelium and stroma. Epithelial-associated macrophages display a highly dendritic morphology and populate the urethral lining in increasing numbers over the course of development. Epithelial-associated macrophages, express Cx3cr1, MHCII genes, Cd74 and Aif1/Iba-1, representing an activated macrophage type (Mac-Activated) and also express genes involved in antigen presentation and inflammatory response. In contrast, stromal macrophages express the scavenging receptors Mrc1/Cd206, Lyve1, Cd163 and Mgl2/Cd301b and display a signature enriched for endocytic function, vasculature development and tissue homeostasis (Mac-Endocytic). We identified epithelial cells in the urethral lining and associated glands expressing the monocyte chemoattractant genes Cx3cl1 and Cxcl17. Chemoattractant gene expression in the urethral epithelium follows a proximal-distal gradient which correlates with the increasing density of epithelial-associated macrophages expressing the receptor Cx3cr1, along the proximal-distal axis of the urethra. The study delineates spatially compartmentalized macrophage subsets in the urethra and implicate epithelial-derived chemokines in the establishment of macrophage positioning and functional specialization along the urethral axis.
2025-09-11 | GSE296982 | GEO
Project description:The lower urinary is derived from the endodermal precursor, the cloaca. Despite common embryological origins, the epithelial linings and surrounding mesenchyme of the bladder and urethra show divergence. The bladder forms from the anterior part of the urogenital sinus, a cloacal derivative formed after septation of the cloaca to give rise to the anorectal and urogenital tracts. The urethra elongates posteriorly and shows sex-specific differences as a result of hormonal action. The bladder is a target for regenerative therapies and tissue reconstruction strategies. A significant shortcoming of these strategies has been the inability to recapitulate all layers of bladder epithelial cells, most importantly the apical uroplakin positive layer that forms a tight, impermeable barrier against components in the urine. The urethral epithelium is contiguous with the bladder epithelium but has distinct cellular architecture and lacks a uroplakin expressing apical layer. We hypothesized that comparison of the developing urethra and bladder epithelium will identify early genes that are responsible for urethra and bladder-specific differentiation. In this study, we compared the epithelial compartments of the developing mouse bladder and urethra to identify genes that are differentially expressed in these two compartments. Our study identified transcription factor genes and other tissue-specific markers that are confined to either the urethra or bladder epithelium. Additionally, we describe sex-specific differences in the lower urinary tract epithelium which are more pronounced between the male and female urethral epithelium and less evident in the bladder epithelium between sexes.
2025-01-01 | GSE253102 | GEO
Project description:The lower urinary is derived from the endodermal precursor, the cloaca. Despite common embryological origins, the epithelial linings and surrounding mesenchyme of the bladder and urethra show divergence. The bladder forms from the anterior part of the urogenital sinus, a cloacal derivative formed after septation of the cloaca to form the anorectal and urogenital tracts. The urethra elongates posteriorly and shows sex-specific differences as a result of hormonal action. The bladder is a target for regenerative therapies and tissue reconstruction strategies. A significant shortcoming of these strategies has been the inability to recapitulate all layers of bladder epithelial cells, most importantly the apical uroplakin expressing cell layer that forms a tight, impermeable barrier against components in the urine. Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are critical for organogenesis. Several studies have shown the ability of embryonic bladder mesenchyme to reprogram non-bladder epithelium to resemble bladder tissue at the molecular and cellular level. In this study, we performed bulk RNA-sequencing on the mesenchymal layers of the developing mouse bladder and urethra and identified compartmentalized organ-specific gene expression. Our study identified transcription factor genes and secreted protein genes specific to the bladder or urethra mesenchymal compartments. Additionally, we describe sex-specific differences in the lower urinary tract mesenchyme which are more pronounced between the male and female urethral mesenchyme and less evident in the bladder mesenchyme between sexes.
2025-01-01 | GSE253103 | GEO
Project description:The lower urinary is derived from the endodermal precursor, the cloaca. Despite common embryological origins, the epithelial linings and surrounding mesenchyme of the bladder and urethra show divergence. The bladder forms from the anterior part of the urogenital sinus, a cloacal derivative formed after septation of the cloaca to give rise to the anorectal and urogenital tracts. The urethra elongates posteriorly and shows sex-specific differences as a result of hormonal action. The bladder is a target for regenerative therapies and tissue reconstruction strategies. A significant shortcoming of these strategies has been the inability to recapitulate all layers of bladder epithelial cells, most importantly the apical uroplakin positive layer that forms a tight, impermeable barrier against components in the urine. The urethral epithelium is contiguous with the bladder epithelium but has distinct cellular architecture and lacks a uroplakin expressing apical layer. We hypothesized that comparison of the developing urethra and bladder epithelium will identify early genes that are responsible for urethra and bladder-specific differentiation. In this study, we compared the epithelial compartments of the developing mouse bladder and urethra to identify genes that are differentially expressed in these two compartments. Our study identified transcription factor genes and other tissue-specific markers that are confined to either the urethra or bladder epithelium. Additionally, we describe sex-specific differences in the lower urinary tract epithelium which are more pronounced between the male and female urethral epithelium and less evident in the bladder epithelium between sexes.
2025-01-01 | GSE275616 | GEO
Project description:The lower urinary is derived from the endodermal precursor, the cloaca. Despite common embryological origins, the epithelial linings and surrounding mesenchyme of the bladder and urethra show divergence. The bladder forms from the anterior part of the urogenital sinus, a cloacal derivative formed after septation of the cloaca to give rise to the anorectal and urogenital tracts. The urethra elongates posteriorly and shows sex-specific differences as a result of hormonal action. The bladder is a target for regenerative therapies and tissue reconstruction strategies. A significant shortcoming of these strategies has been the inability to recapitulate all layers of bladder epithelial cells, most importantly the apical uroplakin positive layer that forms a tight, impermeable barrier against components in the urine. The urethral epithelium is contiguous with the bladder epithelium but has distinct cellular architecture and lacks a uroplakin expressing apical layer. We hypothesized that comparison of the developing urethra and bladder epithelium will identify early genes that are responsible for urethra and bladder-specific differentiation. In this study, we compared the epithelial compartments of the developing mouse bladder and urethra to identify genes that are differentially expressed in these two compartments. Our study identified transcription factor genes and other tissue-specific markers that are confined to either the urethra or bladder epithelium. Additionally, we describe sex-specific differences in the lower urinary tract epithelium which are more pronounced between the male and female urethral epithelium and less evident in the bladder epithelium between sexes.
2025-01-01 | GSE275615 | GEO
Project description:Single-cell RNA-sequencing was conducted on heterogeneous mouse urethra on the 10x Genomics platform.
2020-05-19 | GSE145865 | GEO
Project description:Urethra was partially ligated and the urinary bladder was removed 10 days or 6 weeks after obstruction. Sham operated rats were used as controls. An addtitonal group of rats were repoerated 6 weeks after surgery and the obstruction was removed. These rats were then sacrificed 10 days after deobstruction. The bladder (including the urothelium) was frozen and used for RNA extraction. Urinary bladders from sham-operated, 10 days and 6 weeks after obstruction and rats 10 days after deobstruction were compared. mRNA and microRNA were both analyzed.
2013-11-24 | E-GEOD-47080 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Single-cell RNA-sequencing was conducted on heterogeneous mouse urethra on the 10x Genomics platform.
2021-07-07 | GSE172515 | GEO
Project description:We performed spatial RNA-Seq of prostate and urethra tissues from C57Bl/6 wild type mice. Downstream analyses demonstrated that Foxf2 is highly expressed in the mouse proximal prostate as compaired to the distal ducts.
2022-10-20 | GSE216219 | GEO