Cellular Characterization and Interspecies Evolution of the Tree Shrew Retina across Postnatal Lifespan
Liu-Lin Xiong,
Yi-Fei Sun,
Rui-Ze Niu,
Lu-Lu Xue,
Li Chen,
Li-Ren Huangfu,
Jing Li,
Yu-Ying Wang,
Xin Liu,
Wen-Yuan Wang,
Zhong-Fu Zuo,
Ting-Hua Wang
Affiliations
Liu-Lin Xiong
Department of Anesthesiology, Research Institute of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.
Yi-Fei Sun
Department of Urology,
the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.
Rui-Ze Niu
Mental Health Center of Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650034, Yunnan, China.
Lu-Lu Xue
State Key Lab of Biotherapy, West China Hospital,
Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.
Li Chen
Department of Anesthesiology, Research Institute of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.
Li-Ren Huangfu
Institute of Neuroscience, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China.
Jing Li
Institute of Neuroscience, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China.
Yu-Ying Wang
Department of Anatomy, College of Basic Medicine, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou 121001, Liaoning, China.
Xin Liu
Department of Anatomy, College of Basic Medicine, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou 121001, Liaoning, China.
Wen-Yuan Wang
Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai 200032, China.
Zhong-Fu Zuo
Department of Anatomy, College of Basic Medicine, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou 121001, Liaoning, China.
Ting-Hua Wang
Department of Anesthesiology, Research Institute of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.
Tree shrews (TSs) possess a highly developed visual system. Here, we establish an age-related single-cell RNA sequencing atlas of retina cells from 15 TSs, covering 6 major retina cell classes and 3 glial cell types. An age effect is observed on the cell subset composition and gene expression pattern. We then verify the cell subtypes and identify specific markers in the TS retina including CA10 for bipolar cells, MEGF11 for H1 horizontal cells, and SLIT2, RUNX1, FOXP2, and SPP1 for retinal ganglion cell subpopulations. The cross-species analysis elucidates the cell type-specific transcriptional programs, different cell compositions, and cell communications. The comparisons also reveal that TS cones and subclasses of bipolar and amacrine cells exhibit the closest relationship with humans and macaques. Our results suggests that TS could be used as a better disease model to understand age-dependent cellular and genetic mechanisms of the retina, particularly for the retinal diseases associated with cones.
