Integrative single-cell and cell-free plasma RNA transcriptomics elucidates placental cellular dynamics

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1710470114
• Publication Date: 2017-08-23T00:35:14Z
• Authors: Jason C. H. Tsang; Joaquim S. L. Vong; Lu Ji; Liona C. Y. Poon; Peiyong Jiang; Kathy O. Lui; Yun-Bi Ni; Ka Fai To; Yvonne K. Y. Cheng; Rossa W. K. Chiu; Yuk Ming Dennis Lo
• Keywords: Cell type

Significance The human placenta is a dynamic and cellular heterogeneous organ, which critical in fetomaternal homeostasis the development of preeclampsia. Previous work has shown that placenta-derived cell-free RNA increases during pregnancy. We applied large-scale microfluidic single-cell transcriptomic technology to comprehensively characterize heterogeneity placentas identified multiple placental cell-type–specific gene signatures. Analysis signature expression maternal plasma enabled noninvasive delineation dynamics pregnancy elucidation extravillous trophoblastic dysfunction early