Positional programs in mouse early facial development generate facial shape variability

The face is a complex and highly variable structure that has evolved to adapt to diverse environments and functions. Despite extensive research, the developmental phase between the migration of cranial neural crest cells and the establishment of the basic facial blueprint remains poorly understood. This period, characterized by the formation, extensive growth and fusion of facial prominences, is pivotal in determining general facial proportions. However, the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms governing these dynamic processes and allowing for the establishment of distinct facial geometries have yet to be resolved. To understand the cellular composition and the underlying molecular landscapes governing the morphogenesis of the developing face, we micro-dissected the upper face area from five consecutive developmental stages, spanning E10.5-E14.5 (Fig. 1A). Dissected tissue from multiple embryos was pooled in each sample, enzymatically dissociated and processed by a droplet-based library preparation pipeline by 10x Genomics. Libraries were sequenced on NovaSeq6000.