Single-cell transcriptomes of pancreatic preinvasive lesions and cancer reveal acinar metaplastic cells’ heterogeneity

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma may be initiated by acinar metaplasia, but the molecular and cellular insights during this transition are unclear. Here the authors show, using single cell RNA-sequencing analyses, that mouse metaplastic acinar cells can be clustered into six cell types or states that are heterogeneous and have unique transcription programs.