Single-Cell Analysis Reveals Functionally Distinct Classes within the Planarian Stem Cell Compartment
Planarians are flatworms capable of regenerating any missing body region. This capacity is mediated by neoblasts, a proliferative cell population that contains pluripotent stem cells. Although population-based studies have revealed many neoblast characteristics, whether functionally distinct classes...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2016
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/105743 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5569-333X |
| Summary: | Planarians are flatworms capable of regenerating any missing body region. This capacity is mediated by neoblasts, a proliferative cell population that contains pluripotent stem cells. Although population-based studies have revealed many neoblast characteristics, whether functionally distinct classes exist within this population is unclear. Here, we used high-dimensional single-cell transcriptional profiling from over a thousand individual neoblasts to directly compare gene expression fingerprints during homeostasis and regeneration. We identified two prominent neoblast classes that we named ζ (zeta) and σ (sigma). Zeta-neoblasts encompass
specified cells that give rise to an abundant postmitotic lineage including epidermal cells, and are
not required for regeneration. By contrast, sigma-neoblasts proliferate in response to injury,
possess broad lineage capacity, and can give rise to zeta-neoblasts. These findings present a new
view of planarian neoblasts, in which the population is comprised of two major and functionally
distinct cellular compartments. |
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