Spatially organized progenitors in the zebrafish heart field determine cardiovascular patterning

Progenitor cells expressing nkx2.5 are specified in the bilateral zebrafish heart field that give rise to distinct components of the cardiovascular system. We have employed a single cell sequencing approach using the inDrops platform to study progenitor cells expressing nkx2.5. After specification, these fields separate into two main sub-populations; a cardiac fraction that migrates to the midline and forms the ventricular myocardium, and a pharyngeal fraction that remains lateral before differentiating into the head muscles, outflow tract, and pharyngeal arch arteries. This study represents the first multi-omics analysis of pre-migratory populations coordinate. Overall design: 14- and 20-ss wildtype (TU) and Tg(nkx2.5:ZsYellow) embryos were dissociated by Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACSmax) cell dissociation solution and analyzed using scRNA-seq.