A transcription factor atlas of stem cell fate in planarians

• Published in: Cell reports (Cambridge) 2024-03, Vol.43 (3), p.113843-113843, Article 113843
• Main Authors: King, Hunter O., Owusu-Boaitey, Kwadwo E., Fincher, Christopher T., Reddien, Peter W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Differentiation; cell fate; CP: Stem cell research; Gene Expression Regulation; neoblasts; planarians; Planarians - metabolism; progenitor; regeneration; stem cells; Stem Cells - metabolism; transcription factor; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism
• ISSN: 2211-1247; 2211-1247
• DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113843

Whole-body regeneration requires the ability to produce the full repertoire of adult cell types. The planarian Schmidtea mediterranea contains over 125 cell types, which can be regenerated from a stem cell population called neoblasts. Neoblast fate choice can be regulated by the expression of fate-specific transcription factors (FSTFs). How fate choices are made and distributed across neoblasts versus their post-mitotic progeny remains unclear. We used single-cell RNA sequencing to systematically map fate choices made in S/G2/M neoblasts and, separately, in their post-mitotic progeny that serve as progenitors for all adult cell types. We defined transcription factor expression signatures associated with all detected fates, identifying numerous new progenitor classes and FSTFs that regulate them. Our work generates an atlas of stem cell fates with associated transcription factor signatures for most cell types in a complete adult organism. [Display omitted] •Systematic identification of stem cell and post-mitotic progenitor states•Transcription factor expression signatures for all detected fate choices•RNAi-based establishment of transcription factor roles in progenitor fate•Diversification of fate at stem cell or post-mitotic progenitor stages Planarian stem cells generate 125+ differentiated cell types comprising the entire body. The stem cells produce post-mitotic progenitors that migrate and differentiate. King et al. systematically identified fate choices within stem cells and post-mitotic progenitors and identified transcription factor expression signatures associated with fate choices for the complete animal.