Cell
Volume 173, Issue 4, 3 May 2018, Pages 1045-1057.e9
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Single-Cell Transcriptomics and Fate Mapping of Ependymal Cells Reveals an Absence of Neural Stem Cell Function

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2018.03.063Get rights and content
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Highlights

  • High-fidelity genetic labeling and analysis of ependymal cells in the adult V-SVZ

  • Ependymal cells are transcriptionally distinct from neural stem cells

  • Ependymal cells express cilia genes (e.g., FoxJ1), not angiogenic genes (e.g., Flt1)

  • Ependymal cells don’t behave as neural stem cells or progenitors in vitro or in vivo

Summary

Ependymal cells are multi-ciliated cells that form the brain’s ventricular epithelium and a niche for neural stem cells (NSCs) in the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ). In addition, ependymal cells are suggested to be latent NSCs with a capacity to acquire neurogenic function. This remains highly controversial due to a lack of prospective in vivo labeling techniques that can effectively distinguish ependymal cells from neighboring V-SVZ NSCs. We describe a transgenic system that allows for targeted labeling of ependymal cells within the V-SVZ. Single-cell RNA-seq revealed that ependymal cells are enriched for cilia-related genes and share several stem-cell-associated genes with neural stem or progenitors. Under in vivo and in vitro neural-stem- or progenitor-stimulating environments, ependymal cells failed to demonstrate any suggestion of latent neural-stem-cell function. These findings suggest remarkable stability of ependymal cell function and provide fundamental insights into the molecular signature of the V-SVZ niche.

Keywords

ependymal cell
neural stem cell
neurogenesis
V-SVZ
stroke
VEGF
transcriptomics
single cell RNA-seq

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These authors contributed equally

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