3D single cell scale anatomical map of sex-dependent variability of the rat intrinsic cardiac nervous system
Clara Leung,
Shaina Robbins,
Alison Moss,
Maci Heal,
Mahyar Osanlouy,
Richard Christie,
Navid Farahani,
Corey Monteith,
Jin Chen,
Peter Hunter,
Susan Tappan,
Rajanikanth Vadigepalli,
Zixi (Jack) Cheng,
James S. Schwaber
Affiliations
Clara Leung
Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
Shaina Robbins
Daniel Baugh Institute of Functional Genomics/Computational Biology, Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Alison Moss
Daniel Baugh Institute of Functional Genomics/Computational Biology, Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Maci Heal
MBF Bioscience, Williston, VT, USA
Mahyar Osanlouy
Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Richard Christie
Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Navid Farahani
Strateos, San Francisco, CA, USA
Corey Monteith
Strateos, San Francisco, CA, USA
Jin Chen
Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
Peter Hunter
Auckland Bioengineering Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Susan Tappan
MBF Bioscience, Williston, VT, USA
Rajanikanth Vadigepalli
Daniel Baugh Institute of Functional Genomics/Computational Biology, Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Corresponding author
Zixi (Jack) Cheng
Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA; Corresponding author
James S. Schwaber
Daniel Baugh Institute of Functional Genomics/Computational Biology, Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Corresponding author
Summary: We developed and analyzed a single cell scale anatomical map of the rat intrinsic cardiac nervous system (ICNS) across four male and three female hearts. We find the ICNS has a reliable structural organizational plan across individuals that provide the foundation for further analyses of the ICNS in cardiac function and disease. The distribution of the ICNS was evaluated by 3D visualization and data-driven clustering. The pattern, distribution, and clustering of ICNS neurons across all male and female rat hearts is highly conserved, demonstrating a coherent organizational plan where distinct clusters of neurons are consistently localized. Female hearts had fewer neurons, lower packing density, and slightly reduced distribution, but with identical localization. We registered the anatomical data from each heart to a geometric scaffold, normalizing their 3D coordinates for standardization of common anatomical planes and providing a path where multiple experimental results and data types can be integrated and compared.
