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. To investigate the heterogeneity of the resident immune niche in the adult female mouse urethra, we performed single cell RNA-sequencing which revealed the presence of distinct epithelial-associated and stromal macrophages in the urethra.
Project description:A cellular atlas of healthy human female urethra could provide a better mechanistic understanding of voiding dysfunction and infection. Single cell RNA sequencing was performed on young adult human female urethra with in situ validation of putative cell types. The proximal urethra and dorsal ducts were shown to contain a transitional epithelium with basal, intermediate and luminal layers as well as rare neuroendocrine epithelia. Squamous epithelium was predominantly found in the distal urethra. Novel fibroblast subtypes were validated in situ as displaying regional localization with insight into putative functions. Finally, a comparison of male prostatic urethra and female urethra was performed using both single cell and spatial transcriptomics. These data provide a cellular and molecular landscape of male and female urethra to be used as a reference for understanding disease.
Project description:A cellular atlas of healthy human female urethra could provide a better mechanistic understanding of voiding dysfunction and infection. Single cell RNA sequencing was performed on young adult human female urethra with in situ validation of putative cell types. The proximal urethra and dorsal ducts were shown to contain a transitional epithelium with basal, intermediate and luminal layers as well as rare neuroendocrine epithelia. Squamous epithelium was predominantly found in the distal urethra. Novel fibroblast subtypes were validated in situ as displaying regional localization with insight into putative functions. Finally, a comparison of male prostatic urethra and female urethra was performed using both single cell and spatial transcriptomics. These data provide a cellular and molecular landscape of male and female urethra to be used as a reference for understanding disease.
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.