Reverse Engineering Tissue with Single Cell Genomics (image)
Caption
Stanford researchers use single cell genomics analysis (left) to reverse engineer the development of alveolar sacs in the lung (right). Alveoli are small balloon-like structures at the tips of the airways, where the gas exchange between our blood and the outside air occurs: blood vessels receive oxygen and deliver carbon dioxide. Alveoli are composed of two functionally very different cell types: Alveolar type I cells, the flattest cells in our body, facilitate gas exchange, whereas alveolar type II cells protect alveoli by secreting surfactants. The scientists found that both cell types arise from a single precursor, or 'progenitor,' cell during alveolar development. On the left, the experimental process is laid out: the scientists digested lung tissue to obtain single lung cells in suspension. They then captured individual cells in different chambers on a microfluidic chip. Finally, they measured which genes were active in each single cell at that moment using single cell mRNA sequencing.
Credit
Barbara Treutlein
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