A new human embryonic cell type associated with activity of young transposable elements allows definition of the inner cell mass
Metadatos
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Plos One
Fecha
2023-06-20Referencia bibliográfica
Singh M, Kondrashkina AM, Widmann TJ, Cortes JL, Bansal V, Wang J, et al. (2023) A new human embryonic cell type associated with activity of young transposable elements allows definition of the inner cell mass. PLoS Biol 21(6): e3002162. [https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002162]
Patrocinador
European Research Council, ERC Advanced [ERC-2011-ADG 294742; European Research Council, ERC Advanced [ERC-2014-ADG 669207]; CICE-FEDER-P12-CTS-2256; Plan Nacional de I+D+I 2008-2011; 2013-2016 (FIS-FEDER-PI14/02152); PCIN-2014-115-ERANET NEURON II; the European Research Council (ERC-Consolidator ERC-STG-2012-309433); The Wellcome Trust-University of Edinburgh Institutional Strategic Support Fund (ISFF2); Ms Francisca SerranoResumen
AU : AbbreviationlistshavebeencompiledforthoseusedinFigs1to4:There remains much that we do not understand about the earPlileesatsesvtaergiefysthoaftahlulemntarniedsaerveecloorpr-ect:
ment. On a gross level, there is evidence for apoptosis, but the nature of the affected cell
types is unknown. Perhaps most importantly, the inner cell mass (ICM), from which the foetus
is derived and hence of interest in reproductive health and regenerative medicine, has
proven hard to define. Here, we provide a multi-method analysis of the early human embryo
to resolve these issues. Single-cell analysis (on multiple independent datasets), supported
by embryo visualisation, uncovers a common previously uncharacterised class of cells lacking
commitment markers that segregates after embryonic gene activation (EGA) and shortly
after undergo apoptosis. The discovery of this cell type allows us to clearly define their viable
ontogenetic sisters, these being the cells of the ICM. While ICM is characterised by the
activity of an Old non-transposing endogenous retrovirus (HERVH) that acts to suppress
Young transposable elements, the new cell type, by contrast, expresses transpositionally
competent Young elements and DNA-damage response genes. As the Young elements are
RetroElements and the cells are excluded from the developmental process, we dub these
REject cells. With these and ICM being characterised by differential mobile element activities,
the human embryo may be a “selection arena” in which one group of cells selectively
die, while other less damaged cells persist.