Single-cell transcriptomic landscapes of the otic neuronal lineage at multiple early embryonic ages
Yuwei Sun,
Luyue Wang,
Tong Zhu,
Bailin Wu,
Guangqin Wang,
Zhengnan Luo,
Chao Li,
Wu Wei,
Zhiyong Liu
Affiliations
Yuwei Sun
Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Luyue Wang
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Bio-Med Big Data Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
Tong Zhu
Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
Bailin Wu
Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
Guangqin Wang
Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Zhengnan Luo
Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Chao Li
Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; Corresponding author
Wu Wei
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Bio-Med Big Data Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; Corresponding author
Zhiyong Liu
Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology, Shanghai 201210, China; Corresponding author
Summary: Inner ear vestibular and spiral ganglion neurons (VGNs and SGNs) are known to play pivotal roles in balance control and sound detection. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying otic neurogenesis at early embryonic ages have remained unclear. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing to reveal the transcriptomes of mouse otic tissues at three embryonic ages, embryonic day 9.5 (E9.5), E11.5, and E13.5, covering proliferating and undifferentiated otic neuroblasts and differentiating VGNs and SGNs. We validate the high quality of our studies by using multiple assays, including genetic fate mapping analysis, and we uncover several genes upregulated in neuroblasts or differentiating VGNs and SGNs, such as Shox2, Myt1, Casz1, and Sall3. Notably, our findings suggest a general cascaded differentiation trajectory during early otic neurogenesis. The comprehensive understanding of early otic neurogenesis provided by our study holds critical implications for both basic and translational research.
