平滑肌细胞(SMC)在许多重要器官系统中执行重要的生理功能,包括血管,胃肠,呼吸,和泌尿生殖道.SMC在这些不同的解剖位置在形态和功能上有所不同,但是差异的分子基础仍然知之甚少。这里,使用深单细胞RNA测序结合原位基因和蛋白质表达分析在四个小鼠器官-心脏,主动脉,肺,和结肠-我们确定了血管之间高水平差异的分子基础,内脏,和气道SMC,以及之间更微妙的差异,例如,SMC位于弹性和肌肉动脉中,弹性动脉SMC沿血流方向呈带状。动脉SMC表现出广泛的器官型异质性,而静脉SMC在不同器官间是相似的。我们进一步鉴定了肺脉管系统内的特定SMC亚型。这种比较SMC跨器官资源可深入了解SMC亚型及其特定功能。
Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) execute important physiological functions in numerous vital organ systems, including the vascular, gastrointestinal, respiratory, and urogenital tracts. SMC differ morphologically and functionally at these different anatomical locations, but the molecular underpinnings of the differences remain poorly understood. Here, using deep single-cell RNA sequencing combined with in situ gene and protein expression analysis in four murine organs-heart, aorta, lung, and colon-we identify a molecular basis for high-level differences among vascular, visceral, and airway SMC, as well as more subtle differences between, for example, SMC in elastic and muscular arteries and zonation of elastic artery SMC along the direction of blood flow. Arterial SMC exhibit extensive organotypic heterogeneity, whereas venous SMC are similar across organs. We further identify a specific SMC subtype within the pulmonary vasculature. This comparative SMC cross-organ resource offers insight into SMC subtypes and their specific functions.