The single cell RNA seq of pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells

The pulmonary alveolar epithelium which play key role in lung biological function is mainly composed of two types of epithelial cells: alveolar type I (AT1) and type II (AT2) cells. We know very little about developmental heterogeneity of the AT1 cell population. By using 10X genomics “Chromium Single Cell” technology, we performed single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) analyses of AT1 cells at postnatal day 3 (P3), P15, and P60, along with AT2 cells (P60) in mice. Our study identified a robust new genetic marker (Igfbp2) of postnatal AT1 cells. The study also provided the transcriptome information of AT1 cells during alveologensis. Overall design: We performed 10X genomics single-cell RNA-seq at various developmental stages of AT1 cells of lungs at postnatal (P)3, P15, and P60. We also performed 10X genomics single-cell RNA-seq of AT2 cells of P60 lungs.