Research Press Release
Nature
July 20, 2023
Cell biology: Cell maps for the human body
Three papers report this week a reference map showing the arrangement and interaction of the individual cells that make up the human intestine, kidney, and maternal-fetal interface (where placental and maternal cells coexist).Naturewill be published in These are part of a series of papers from the Human Biomolecular Atlas Program (HuBMAP), and many other HuBMAP papersNature Portfoliopublished in multiple academic journals. HuBMAP studies have revealed new information about how different cell types are arranged and how they interact in various human organs and tissues. information resource for studying the biology and disease of
The way human organs and tissues function is determined by how cells are organized and what interactions occur between them. The HuBMAP initiative will map how cells are arranged in the human body, helping researchers understand how cells work and how relationships between cells affect the health of an individual. We aim to To achieve this goal, the HuBMAP consortium has developed tools to help build spatial maps showing the molecular components (RNA, proteins, metabolites, etc.) of the cells that make up human organs and tissues at single-cell resolution. I’ve been These tools have now been used to create a reference atlas of the cells that make up tissues connected to the human intestine, kidney and placenta.
Michael Snyder, Garry Nolan, William Greenleaf and others studied human intestinal cells, a complex organ with many different structures and functions, from digestion to supporting the immune system. Eight segments of the intestine from nine organ donors were analyzed, revealing significant differences in the composition of the cells that make up each segment. The study identifies new subtypes of epithelial cells, each with its own combination of cell types to form ‘sectors’, some of which are specifically capable of mediating immune responses. It has been found. These findings reveal that a complex and diverse cellular composition contributes to intestinal function.
Sanjay Jain, Matthias Kretzler, Kun Zhang, Tarek M. El-Achkar, Pierre C. Dagher, Michal T. Eadon et al. was used to examine kidney cells. Kidney damage can lead to changes in renal cells that can ultimately adversely affect renal function. In this study, a one-cell resolution spatial atlas of the major cell types (51) that make up different parts of the kidney was generated. We also revealed the cell status and areas of immune cells, stromal cells, and epithelial cells that were altered by acute and chronic renal injury. These cellular states also include states related to whether repair pathways are normal or deficient.
Michael Angelo, Shirley Greenbaum and colleagues constructed a cellular map of the human placenta in the first half of pregnancy. In this study, approximately 500,000 cells and 588 arteries were collected from samples (66 points) of the human maternal-fetal interface (the site where maternal and placental cells cooperate to support fetal development). was analyzed. In particular, the uteroplacental interface, where maternal arteries have been remodeled to supply blood to the fetus, has been studied. This cellular map was generated for different developmental stages (6-20 weeks of gestation) and demonstrates the interactions between placental cells and immune cells. The elucidation of this interaction provides clues for understanding how maternal immune cells support the coexistence of unique maternal and fetal cells.
In an accompanying News & Views article, Roser Vento-Tormo and Roser Vilarrasa-Blasi write, “Three HuBMAP atlases[…]advance our understanding of disease by spatially localizing disease-relevant cellular states.” It has potential,” he said, expecting atlases to be created for other tissues in the future. On the other hand, he points out that more tests with more samples are needed to ‘establish a robust link between cellular organization and function in health and disease.’ are doing.
A series of papers by the HuBMAP consortium are available at the link below after embargo.
doi:10.1038/s41586-023-05915-x
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