Gene expression profile at single cell level of mammary gland from Kindlin-2 genetically modified mouse model

During gestation, alveolar cells are derived from luminal progenitors in the mammary gland. However, the mechanism underlying luminal progenitor commitment to alveolar cells remains largely unknown. By using five genetically modified mouse lines and single cell RNA sequencing, we identified a Kindlin-2 - Stat3 - Dll1 signaling cascade in myoepithelial cells which controls the inactivation of Notch signaling in luminal cells that consequently drives luminal progenitor commitment to alveolar cells. We found that loss of Kindlin-2 in myoepithelial cells impairs mammary morphogenesis and alveologenesis, and lactation. Single-cell profiling reveals that Kindlin-2 loss significantly decreases the proportion of alveolar cells. mammary gland in late trimester of pregnancy from myoepithelium/luminal epithelium specifically knock-out Kindlin-2 mouse model were isolated and analysis with single-cell RNA-seq