IADR Abstract Archives
A Single Cell and Spatially-Resolved Atlas of the Mouse and Human Oral Cavity
Objectives: The oral cavity acts as the gateway to the respiratory and digestive tract, and is in continuity with the skin, sharing several of its features and structure. The oral cavity consists of various specialised niches, such as the labial and buccal mucosae, salivary glands, periodontium, palate, tongue, with different functions. However, our understanding of the cell subpopulations heterogeneity, communication and spatial pattering across distinct niches is currently limited.
We aim to create the first Oral Cell Atlas and define the cellular and spatial heterogeneity across the different niches of the oral cavity for both mouse and human (part of the Human Cell Atlas).
Methods: We use state-of-the-art multi-omics technologies to create a reference atlas across several niches of oral cavity. Using computational tools, we: (1) generated new single-cell RNA sequencing datasets from mouse neonatal and adult oral niches; (2) integrated available and newly generated single-cell RNA sequencing datasets from 10 niches of the human adult healthy oral cavity; (3) inferred cell-cell communication by receptor-ligand analysis, and (4) established geographical locations using RNAscope, multiplex immunofluorescence and single-cell in situ transcriptomic multiplex imaging.
Results: Each distinct niche (i.e., buccal mucosa, tongue, gingiva, palate, gland) contained >20,000 cells, allowing for rare cell type discovery as well as harmonised cell annotation and cell type marker establishment. Comparison across niches and with other epithelia such as skin, identified shared and unique cell subpopulations and suggested niche-specific immune residency. Furthermore, we have uncovered a unique subpopulation of fibroblasts that may hold cues for the scarless behaviour of the buccal mucosa, when compared to skin.
Conclusions: This spatial single-cell compendium of the mouse and human adult oral cavity illustrates with unprecedented detail the heterogeneity of the oral tissues in health providing a comprehensive reference map of cells that will be a transformative resource for the research and clinical communities.
We aim to create the first Oral Cell Atlas and define the cellular and spatial heterogeneity across the different niches of the oral cavity for both mouse and human (part of the Human Cell Atlas).
Methods: We use state-of-the-art multi-omics technologies to create a reference atlas across several niches of oral cavity. Using computational tools, we: (1) generated new single-cell RNA sequencing datasets from mouse neonatal and adult oral niches; (2) integrated available and newly generated single-cell RNA sequencing datasets from 10 niches of the human adult healthy oral cavity; (3) inferred cell-cell communication by receptor-ligand analysis, and (4) established geographical locations using RNAscope, multiplex immunofluorescence and single-cell in situ transcriptomic multiplex imaging.
Results: Each distinct niche (i.e., buccal mucosa, tongue, gingiva, palate, gland) contained >20,000 cells, allowing for rare cell type discovery as well as harmonised cell annotation and cell type marker establishment. Comparison across niches and with other epithelia such as skin, identified shared and unique cell subpopulations and suggested niche-specific immune residency. Furthermore, we have uncovered a unique subpopulation of fibroblasts that may hold cues for the scarless behaviour of the buccal mucosa, when compared to skin.
Conclusions: This spatial single-cell compendium of the mouse and human adult oral cavity illustrates with unprecedented detail the heterogeneity of the oral tissues in health providing a comprehensive reference map of cells that will be a transformative resource for the research and clinical communities.