Fig. 5: ECCs have similar single-cell transcriptome profiles to TMJ condylar chondrocytes.

a and b Both TMJ-CC and ECCs were enriched in mandibular condyle and neural crest markers, such as COL1A1, BARX1, FOXC1, MSX1, SIX1, and TWIST1. c UMAP confirmed that ECCs are closer to TMJ-CC than Cp from hiPSCs via the paraxial mesoderm. d Both the TMJ-CC and ECCs exhibited high expression of neural crest markers, while genes involved in mesoderm were clustered in the Cp. e Violin plots showing that TMJ-CC and ECCs presented nearly the same chondrogenic markers. f GSEA suggesting that ECCs had different gene expression from Cp in skeletal system development, ossification, cartilage development, and bone development. g MAPK, calcium, ErbB, and PPAR signalling pathway-associated genes were different between ECCs and Cp.