RT Journal
A1 Wang, Jiaxu
A1 Jenjaroenpun, Piroon
A1 Bhinge, Akshay
A1 Angarica, Vladimir Espinosa
A1 Del Sol, Antonio
A1 Nookaew, Intawat
A1 Kuznetsov, Vladimir A.
A1 Stanton, Lawrence W.
T1 Single-cell gene expression analysis reveals regulators of distinct cell subpopulations among developing human neurons
JF Genome Research 
JO Genome Research 
YR 2017 
FD November 01 
VO 27 
IS 11 
SP 1783 
OP 1794 
DO 10.1101/gr.223313.117 
UL http://genome.cshlp.org/content/27/11/1783.abstract 
AB The stochastic dynamics and regulatory mechanisms that govern differentiation of individual human neural precursor cells (NPC) into mature neurons are currently not fully understood. Here, we used single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of developing neurons to dissect/identify NPC subtypes and critical developmental stages of alternative lineage specifications. This study comprises an unsupervised, high-resolution strategy for identifying cell developmental bifurcations, tracking the stochastic transcript kinetics of the subpopulations, elucidating regulatory networks, and finding key regulators. Our data revealed the bifurcation and developmental tracks of the two NPC subpopulations, and we captured an early (24 h) transition phase that leads to alternative neuronal specifications. The consequent up-regulation and down-regulation of stage- and subpopulation-specific gene groups during the course of maturation revealed biological insights with regard to key regulatory transcription factors and lincRNAs that control cellular programs in the identified neuronal subpopulations.