Single-nucleus transcriptomic atlas of spinal cord neuron in human

Despite the recognized importance of the spinal cord in sensory processing, motor behaviors, and/or neural diseases, the underlying organization of neuronal clusters remain elusive. Recently, several studies have attempted to define the neuronal types and functional heterogeneity in the spinal cord using single-cell and/or single-nucleus RNA-sequencing in various animal models. However, molecular evidence of neuronal heterogeneity in the human spinal cord has not yet been established. Here, we sought to classify spinal cord neurons from human donors using high-throughput single-nucleus RNA-sequencing. The functional heterogeneity among the identified cell types and signaling pathways that connect neuronal subtypes were explored. Moreover, we compared the transcriptional patterns obtained in human samples with previously published single-cell transcriptomic profiles of the mouse spinal cord. As a result, we generated the first comprehensive transcriptomic atlas of human spinal cord neurons and defined 18 neuronal clusters. In addition to identifying new and functionally distinct neuronal subtypes, our results also provide novel marker genes for previously described neuronal types. The comparison with mouse transcriptomic profiles revealed an overall similarity in the cellular composition of the spinal cord between the two species, while simultaneously highlighting some degree of heterogeneity. In summary, these results illustrate the complexity and diversity of neuronal types in the human spinal cord and provide an important resource for future research to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying spinal cord physiology and diseases. Overall design: Single-nucleus transcriptomic profiles of spinal cord neuron in 2 human donors

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