FGFR signaling establishes spatial gradients of secretory cell identities along the airway proximal-distal axis - PubMed
5 hours ago
- #single-cell analysis
- #FGFR signaling
- #airway epithelium
- FGFR signaling establishes spatial gradients of secretory cell identities along the airway proximal-distal axis.
- Secretory lung cell-types were analyzed at single-cell resolution, revealing opposing gene-expression gradients along the airway axis.
- One gradient is elevated proximally and relates to innate immunity, while the other is enriched distally, encoding lipid metabolism and antigen presentation.
- Intermediately positioned cells express moderate levels of both graded programs, creating a differentiation continuum.
- Lineage tracing analysis shows the sequential establishment of these gradients in common epithelial progenitors postnatally.
- Fgfr2b regulates airway patterning by inducing lipid biosynthesis and vesicle trafficking in distal airways and down-regulating innate-immunity genes.
- The study provides a framework for understanding epithelial and lung tissue organization in pathology.