single cell RNA sequencing of adult (P60) vomeronasal organ

The vomeronasal organ of mice consists of two major types of vomeronasal sensory neurons (VSNs) expressing either receptors of the V1R or V2R family. V1R and V2R VSNs form from a common pool of progenitors but have distinct differentiation programs. We analyzed single cell RNA sequencing data of adult VNO and identified differential expression of Notch1 receptor and Dll4 ligand among the neuronal precursors at the VSN dichotomy. We further demonstrated that Notch signaling is required for effective differentiation of V2R+ basal VSNs. We employed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technique to understand the mechanisms underlying cell fate specification of two major types of vomeronasal neurons in mice. As adult neurogenesis happen through out the life at marginal zones of the vomeronasal sensory epithelium in mice, we chose postnatal day 60 to do scRNA-seq in order to collect cells ranging from neuronal progenitors, to immature and mature vomeronasal neurons and non-neuronal cells of both sensory and non-sensory epithelium. The frozen single cell suspension was sent to Singulomics for high-throughput single-cell gene expression profiling using the 10x Genomics Chromium Platform. Contributor: Singulomics Corporation, Bronx, NY