| First Author | Yang H | Year | 2017 |
| Journal | Cell | Volume | 169 |
| Issue | 3 | Pages | 483-496.e13 |
| PubMed ID | 28413068 | Mgi Jnum | J:241508 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5902870 | Doi | 10.1016/j.cell.2017.03.038 |
| Citation | Yang H, et al. (2017) Epithelial-Mesenchymal Micro-niches Govern Stem Cell Lineage Choices. Cell 169(3):483-496.e13 |
| abstractText | Adult tissue stem cells (SCs) reside in niches, which, through intercellular contacts and signaling, influence SC behavior. Once activated, SCs typically give rise to short-lived transit-amplifying cells (TACs), which then progress to differentiate into their lineages. Here, using single-cell RNA-seq, we unearth unexpected heterogeneity among SCs and TACs of hair follicles. We trace the roots of this heterogeneity to micro-niches along epithelial-mesenchymal interfaces, where progenitors display molecular signatures reflective of spatially distinct local signals and intercellular interactions. Using lineage tracing, temporal single-cell analyses, and chromatin landscaping, we show that SC plasticity becomes restricted in a sequentially and spatially choreographed program, culminating in seven spatially arranged unilineage progenitors within TACs of mature follicles. By compartmentalizing SCs into micro-niches, tissues gain precise control over morphogenesis and regeneration: some progenitors specify lineages immediately, whereas others retain potency, preserving self-renewing features established early while progressively restricting lineages as they experience dynamic changes in microenvironment. |
