Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis Maps the Developmental Track of the Human Heart.

Yueli Cui, Yuxuan Zheng, Xixi Liu, Liying Yan, Xiaoying Fan, Jun Yong, Yuqiong Hu, Ji Dong, Qingqing Li, Xinglong Wu, Shuai Gao, Jingyun Li, Lu Wen, Jie Qiao, Fuchou Tang
Author Information
  1. Yueli Cui: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Biomedical Institute for Pioneering Investigation via Convergence, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China.
  2. Yuxuan Zheng: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Biomedical Institute for Pioneering Investigation via Convergence, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
  3. Xixi Liu: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Biomedical Institute for Pioneering Investigation via Convergence, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China.
  4. Liying Yan: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China.
  5. Xiaoying Fan: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Biomedical Institute for Pioneering Investigation via Convergence, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China.
  6. Jun Yong: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China.
  7. Yuqiong Hu: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Biomedical Institute for Pioneering Investigation via Convergence, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
  8. Ji Dong: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Biomedical Institute for Pioneering Investigation via Convergence, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China.
  9. Qingqing Li: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Biomedical Institute for Pioneering Investigation via Convergence, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China.
  10. Xinglong Wu: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Biomedical Institute for Pioneering Investigation via Convergence, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
  11. Shuai Gao: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Biomedical Institute for Pioneering Investigation via Convergence, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China.
  12. Jingyun Li: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Biomedical Institute for Pioneering Investigation via Convergence, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
  13. Lu Wen: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Biomedical Institute for Pioneering Investigation via Convergence, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China.
  14. Jie Qiao: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Key Laboratory of Assisted Reproduction, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100191, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Reproductive Endocrinology and Assisted Reproductive Technology, Beijing 100191, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. Electronic address: jie.qiao@263.net.
  15. Fuchou Tang: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Biomedical Institute for Pioneering Investigation via Convergence, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. Electronic address: tangfuchou@pku.edu.cn.

Abstract

The heart is the central organ of the circulatory system, and its proper development is vital for maintaining human life. Here, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to profile the gene expression landscapes of ∼4,000 cardiac cells from human embryos and identified four major types of cells: cardiomyocytes (CMs), cardiac fibroblasts, endothelial cells (ECs), and valvar interstitial cells (VICs). Atrial and ventricular CMs acquired distinct features early in heart development. Furthermore, both CMs and fibroblasts show stepwise changes in gene expression. As development proceeds, VICs may be involved in the remodeling phase, and ECs display location-specific characteristics. Finally, we compared gene expression profiles between humans and mice and identified a series of unique features of human heart development. Our study lays the groundwork for elucidating the mechanisms of in vivo human cardiac development and provides potential clues to understand cardiac regeneration.

Keywords

MeSH Term

Female
Fetus
Heart
Humans
Male
Pregnancy
Transcriptome