A human fetal lung cell atlas uncovers proximal-distal gradients of differentiation and key regulators of epithelial fates

Abstract

We present a multiomic cell atlas of human lung development that combines single-cell RNA and ATAC sequencing, high-throughput spatial transcriptomics, and single-cell imaging. Coupling single-cell methods with spatial analysis has allowed a comprehensive cellular survey of the epithelial, mesenchymal, endothelial, and erythrocyte/leukocyte compartments from 5-22 post-conception weeks. We identify previously uncharacterized cell states in all compartments. These include developmental-specific secretory progenitors and a subtype of neuroendocrine cell related to human small cell lung cancer. Our datasets are available through our web interface (https://lungcellatlas.org). To illustrate its general utility, we use our cell atlas to generate predictions about cell-cell signaling and transcription factor hierarchies which we rigorously test using organoid models.

Abstract of "A human fetal lung cell atlas uncovers proximal-distal gradients of differentiation and key regulators of epithelial fates" by He P, Lim K, Sun D et al., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.11.005, used under its Creative Commons Attribution license (CC-BY); markup removed, otherwise unmodified.