A single-cell atlas of spatial and temporal gene expression in the mouse cranial neural plate

• DOI: 10.7554/elife.102819
• Publication Date: 2024-11-14T16:25:23Z
• Authors: Eric R Brooks; Andrew R Moorman; Bhaswati Bhattach...; Ian S Prudhomme; Max Land; Heather L Alcorn; Roshan Sharma; Dana Pe'er; Jennifer A Zallen
• Keywords: Hindbrain; Forebrain; Neural fold; Neurulation; Cranial neural crest; Floor plate

The formation of the mammalian brain requires regionalization and morphogenesis cranial neural plate, which transforms from an epithelial sheet into a closed tube that provides structural foundation for patterning circuit formation. Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling is important plate closure, but transcriptional changes give rise to spatially regulated cell fates behaviors build have not been systematically analyzed. Here we used single-cell RNA sequencing generate atlas gene expression at six consecutive stages closure in mouse embryo. Ordering profiles relative major axes predicted 870 genes along anterior-posterior mediolateral reproduced known patterns with over 85% accuracy. Single-cell embryos activated SHH revealed distinct SHH-regulated programs developing forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain, suggesting complex interplay between systems. These results define spatiotemporally resolved map during provide resource investigating events drive early development.