Endothelial cells (ECs) lining the aortic lumen are essential for vascular homeostasis and contribute to aortic disease. Comprehensive characterization of these cells is essential for understanding their biology and developing targeted therapeutic strategies. In a new report, He and colleagues re-analyzed eight previous single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets of mouse aortic ECs. They found that the ECs previously assumed to be of luminal origin were actually a mixture of ECs from different anatomical locations within and around the aorta. First, using in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence on adult mouse aortas, they identified markers distinguishing luminal ECs (Cytl1, Sfrp1) from peri-aortic ECs (Gpihbp1, CAR4). Applying these markers to the scRNA-seq data revealed that only one subcluster expressed Cytl1 and Sfrp1, consistent with aortic lumen ECs, while the other subclusters represented peri-aortic ECs. These findings provide robust markers for accurate EC classification, enabling more precise analyses of gene expression in luminal and peri-aortic mouse ECs under homeostatic and disease conditions.
Original reference: He, L. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 122, e2525755122 (2025)
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
