2023-11-06 16:57:51
Scientists have examined the gene expression patterns of single cells from 5 human fetal kidneys and created the most complete atlas of the fetal kidney to date, presented at ASN Kidney Week 2023, the meeting of the American Society of Nephrology.
The atlas, based on a total of 65,348 cells, shows the trajectories of cell states from a progenitor population to mature cell types.
By examining the properties within this map, the researchers identified transitions between different cellular states and defined properties during fetal development that are characteristic of human genetic diseases common and rare.
“We were able to identify cellular transitions and the genes that appear to push toward these transitions, mapping developmental states and demonstrating that tubular cells derive from a population distinct from podocytes, as has been shown to occur in mice,” explains first author Jonathan Levinsohn, from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (United States).
“We found some pathways that had been hypothesized in humans but had not been clearly demonstrated, involving parietal epithelial cells, proximal tubular cells, and podocytes,” he continues.
Additionally, by examining genes implicated in rare cases of kidney malformations, they identified cellular states that appear most likely to be affected. “We also examined the heritability of adult kidney traits and found evidence that certain fetal cell states may subtly contribute to kidney health later in life,” she adds.
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