Back to Search
Start Over
Characterization of Gene Expression Signatures for the Identification of Cellular Heterogeneity in the Developing Mammary Gland.
- Source :
-
Journal of mammary gland biology and neoplasia [J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia] 2021 Mar; Vol. 26 (1), pp. 43-66. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 May 14. - Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- The developing mammary gland depends on several transcription-dependent networks to define cellular identities and differentiation trajectories. Recent technological advancements that allow for single-cell profiling of gene expression have provided an initial picture into the epithelial cellular heterogeneity across the diverse stages of gland maturation. Still, a deeper dive into expanded molecular signatures would improve our understanding of the diversity of mammary epithelial and non-epithelial cellular populations across different tissue developmental stages, mouse strains and mammalian species. Here, we combined differential mammary gland fractionation approaches and transcriptional profiles obtained from FACS-isolated mammary cells to improve our definitions of mammary-resident, cellular identities at the single-cell level. Our approach yielded a series of expression signatures that illustrate the heterogeneity of mammary epithelial cells, specifically those of the luminal fate, and uncovered transcriptional changes to their lineage-defined, cellular states that are induced during gland development. Our analysis also provided molecular signatures that identified non-epithelial mammary cells, including adipocytes, fibroblasts and rare immune cells. Lastly, we extended our study to elucidate expression signatures of human, breast-resident cells, a strategy that allowed for the cross-species comparison of mammary epithelial identities. Collectively, our approach improved the existing signatures of normal mammary epithelial cells, as well as elucidated the diversity of non-epithelial cells in murine and human breast tissue. Our study provides a useful resource for future studies that use single-cell molecular profiling strategies to understand normal and malignant breast development.
- Subjects :
- Animals
Cell Lineage physiology
Epithelial Cells cytology
Female
Humans
Mammary Glands, Animal cytology
Mammary Glands, Human cytology
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Epithelial Cells physiology
Gene Expression Profiling methods
Mammary Glands, Animal physiology
Mammary Glands, Human physiology
Sequence Analysis, RNA methods
Single-Cell Analysis methods
Transcriptome
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1573-7039
- Volume :
- 26
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of mammary gland biology and neoplasia
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 33988830
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s10911-021-09486-3