[PDF][PDF] Single-cell RNA-seq analysis of retinal development identifies NFI factors as regulating mitotic exit and late-born cell specification

BS Clark, GL Stein-O'Brien, F Shiau, GH Cannon… - Neuron, 2019 - cell.com
Neuron, 2019cell.com
Precise temporal control of gene expression in neuronal progenitors is necessary for correct
regulation of neurogenesis and cell fate specification. However, the cellular heterogeneity of
the developing CNS has posed a major obstacle to identifying the gene regulatory networks
that control these processes. To address this, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to profile
ten developmental stages encompassing the full course of retinal neurogenesis. This
allowed us to comprehensively characterize changes in gene expression that occur during …
Summary
Precise temporal control of gene expression in neuronal progenitors is necessary for correct regulation of neurogenesis and cell fate specification. However, the cellular heterogeneity of the developing CNS has posed a major obstacle to identifying the gene regulatory networks that control these processes. To address this, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to profile ten developmental stages encompassing the full course of retinal neurogenesis. This allowed us to comprehensively characterize changes in gene expression that occur during initiation of neurogenesis, changes in developmental competence, and specification and differentiation of each major retinal cell type. We identify the NFI transcription factors (Nfia, Nfib, and Nfix) as selectively expressed in late retinal progenitor cells and show that they control bipolar interneuron and Müller glia cell fate specification and promote proliferative quiescence.
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