scRNA-seq reveals transcriptional profiling of telocytes in synovial tissue

This study employs scRNA-seq to characterize Efhd1? tdTomato? telocyte-like cells isolated from knee synovial tissues. By comparing their transcriptional profiles to fibroblasts, we aim to delineate distinct cellular phenotypes and understand telocyte heterogeneity across tissue microenvironments. Our analysis reveals unique gene expression signatures defining telocytes providing insights into their potential roles in tissue homeostasis and fibrosis. Overall design: Efhd1-CreER x Ai9 mice were treated with tamoxifen to induce tdTomato expression in Efhd1-expressing cells. Synovial tissues from knee joints synovial tissues were dissected and enzymatically digested to obtain single-cell suspensions. Viable tdTomato? cells were isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and subjected to scRNA-seq. Sequencing data were processed with Cell Ranger for alignment and UMI counting, followed by downstream analysis using Seurat to identify cell clusters, marker gene expression, and differential gene signatures between telocytes and fibroblasts.