Exploration of Conserved Human Adipose Subpopulations Using Targeted Single-Nuclei RNA Sequencing Data Sets.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-18-2025

Institution/Department

Center for Molecular Medicine

Journal Title

J Am Heart Assoc

MeSH Headings

Humans, Pericytes, Adipose Tissue, Adipogenesis, Sequence Analysis, RNA, Animals, Adipocytes, Single-Cell Analysis, Mice, Cell Differentiation, Myocytes, Smooth Muscle, Stem Cells, Female, Male

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Smooth-muscle cells and pericytes are mural cells. Pericytes can differentiate into myofibroblasts, chondrocytes, vascular smooth-muscle cells, and adipocytes, marking them as a distinct progenitor population. Our goal was to molecularly define the progenitor cell populations in human adipose tissues and test the adipogenic potential of human mural cells.

METHODS: We used informatic analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data from human tissues to identify and define pericytes and adipose progenitor cells found in human adipose tissues, including perivascular, brown, and white adipose tissues.

RESULTS: We established tissue-specific patterns of gene expression in pericytes and other putative human adipocyte progenitor cells.

CONCLUSIONS: Human adipose cell populations are distinct from mice, and the pericyte subpopulation in human adipose tissues are present across adipose depots. Given that vascular mural cells, including pericytes and smooth-muscle cells, can undergo adipogenesis, we postulate that they are a novel source of adipocytes in the vascular microenvironment.

ISSN

2047-9980

First Page

038465

Last Page

038465

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