Einzelzellbiologie

Abstrakt

Cell line specification at single-cell resolution

Yang J and Liu P

Single-cell technology is widely used in developmental and stem cell biology. In mice, the single-cell transcriptome has revealed cell lineage specification in the pre- and post-implantation embryo. Now, Mohammed et al. have investigated dynamic cell fate commitment during the transition from the peri-implantation to the early post-implantation phase using single-cell RNA sequencing. In addition to confirming some previous findings, the time window and cell subclusters of cell specification were more precisely determined, along with potential new mechanisms for X-reactivation and inactivation in the female embryo and for exit from pluripotency and lineage commitment. These data will not only fill the missing link in mouse embryo development, but will also provide insights into embryo development in other mammalian species, including humans.