Project description:Sutures separate the flat bones of the skull and enable coordinated growth of the brain and overlying cranium. In order to uncover the cellular diversity within sutures, we conducted single-cell transcriptomic and histological analyses of the embryonic murine coronal suture. We identify Erg and Pthlh as early markers of osteogenic progenitors in sutures, and distinct pre-osteoblast signatures between the bone fronts and periosteum. diverse mesenchymal layers at the coronal suture, including multiple distinct meningeal layers below the suture, and ligamentous, ectocranial, and hypodermal layers above the sutureIn the ectocranial layers above the suture, we observe a ligament-like population spanning the frontal and parietal bones and expressing genes implicated in mechanosensation. Mesenchyme in and around the coronal suture is asymmetrically distributed between the frontal and parietal bones, and we identify different states of osteogenic cells extending from the bone fronts into the more mature bone, and a potential signature for sutural stem cellsIn the meningeal layers, we detect a potential chondrogenic periosteal dura population that may be involved in endochondral ossification that closes sutures. Expression of genes mutated in craniosynostosis is spread across diverse cell types, suggesting multiple points at which homeostasis can fail. This single-cell atlas provides a resource to understand the development of the coronal suture, the suture most commonly fused in craniosynostosis.
Project description:Axin2-expressing calvarial suture stem cells can contribute to calvarial development, homeostatic maintenance, repair, and regeneration. We used microarray to examine the gene expression profiles of Axin2-expressing suture stem cells and Axin2-negative cells in suture mesenchyme.
Project description:Craniofacial development depends on formation and maintenance of sutures between bones of the skull. In sutures, growth occurs at osteogenic fronts along the edge of each bone and suture mesenchyme separates adjacent bones. We performed single-cell RNA-seq analysis of the embryonic, murine coronal suture. Seven populations at E16.5 and nine at E18.5 comprised the suture mesenchyme, osteogenic cells, and associated populations. Expression of Hhip, an inhibitor of hedgehog (HH) signaling, marked a mesenchymal population distinct from other neurocranial sutures. At E18.5, Hhip-/- coronal osteogenic fronts were closely apposed and HH signaling was increased throughout the depleted suture mesenchyme compared to WT, demonstrating that Hhip is required for normal coronal suture development. Tracing of the neonatal Hhip-expressing population showed that descendant cells persisted in the coronal suture and contributed to calvarial bone growth. Our transcriptomic approach provides a rich resource for insight into normal and abnormal development.
Project description:In this work, we developed a microprobe capillary electrophoresis high-resolution mass spectrometry approach to identify proteins in single identified cells in live embryos of the South African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis) and also zebrafish. We used a pulled borosilicate capillary to aspirate a calibrated portion of the cell of interest. Proteins in the collected aspirate were detected and quantified via a bottom-up proteomic workflow that was downscaled to the single cells. The microprobe mass spectrometry platform is scalable to smaller cells in live, morphologically complex, developing embryos. As an example, we used this approach to analyze proteomic changes in cells that form a clone in the early developing Xenopus laevis embryo.
Project description:Axin2-expressing calvarial suture stem cells can contribute to calvarial development, homeostatic maintenance, repair, and regeneration. We used microarray to examine the gene expression profiles of Axin2-expressing suture stem cells and Axin2-negative cells in suture mesenchyme. Three of Axin2+/GFP+ and three of Axin2-/GFP- cell samples were collected from mice carrying Axin2rtTA and TREH2BGFP transgenes. Each samples were isolated from 6-8 Axin2rtTA; TRE-H2BGFP mice and sorted by the GFP intensity.