GSE203243
Single cell RNA sequencing of adult mouse Acta2+ lung cells
Smooth muscle cells exist in many different locations within the body, including blood vessels and airways. The heterogeneity of smooth muscle cells has been related to their embryological origins and could have implications in many diseases, including atherosclerosis, pulmonary hypertension, and asthma. Here we aimed to study the heterogeneity of Acta2+ cells in the mouse lung and to identify specific markers for Acta2+ sub-populations. We used a mouse line containing an Acta2hrGFP/Cspg4dsRed reporter and performed single cell RNA sequencing of Acta2+ cells isolated from adult mouse lungs. We identified 3 main distinct clusters, corresponding to airway smooth muscle (ASM), vascular smooth muscle (VSM) and mesenchymal alveolar niche cells (MANCs), and extracted specific gene signatures for each of these cell types. Our dataset and gene signatures help address the heterogeneity of Acta2+ lineages in the lung and will be of use for future studies focusing on smooth muscle cells in the lung and in other organs. Overall design: Global transcriptomic profiling of freshly isolated Acta2-hrGFP+ lung cells from an Acta2hrGFP/Cspg4-dsRed reporter mouse (Paez-Cortez et al,  Plos One 2013) by single cell RNA sequencing.