Characterization of the human fetal rete region by single cell transcriptional analysis of gonads and mesonephros/epididymis

Taelman, Jasin; Czukiewska, Sylwia; Moustakas, Ioannis; CHANG, Yolanda W.; Hillenius, Sanne; Helm, Talia van der; Mei, Hailiang; Fan, Xueying; Lopes, Susana M. Chuva de Sousa

doi:10.1101/2022.07.20.500903

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…The datasets described here provide a wealth of information on the transcriptome of all regions of the rete ovarii and surrounding tissue in fetal and adult mice. This work integrates well with recent efforts to better understand the origin and progenitor function of the intraovarian region of the RO in fetal mice and humans (9,11,12). To the best of our knowledge, these are the first transcriptomic insights into the adult RO and the extraovarian regions of the RO.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

“…1B). These datasets complement recent publications that specifically focused on the intraovarian region of the RO in mouse and human (9,11,12), and fill a critical gap in knowledge by providing data for all three regions of the RO in both adult and fetal stages. Integration and careful validation of all these datasets will pave the way towards understanding the roles of the RO, and its function in ovary development, female maturation, and adult female fertility.…”

Section: Background and Summarymentioning

confidence: 53%

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Transcriptome analysis of the mouse fetal and adult rete ovarii and surrounding tissues

Anbarci,

O’Rourke,

Xiang

et al. 2023

Preprint

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The rete ovarii (RO) is an epithelial structure that arises during fetal development in close proximity to the ovary and persists throughout adulthood in mice. However, the functional significance of the RO remains elusive, and it has been absent from recent discussions of female reproductive anatomy. The RO comprises three distinct regions: the intraovarian rete (IOR) within the ovary, the extraovarian rete (EOR) in the periovarian tissue, and the connecting rete (CR) linking the EOR and IOR. We hypothesize that the RO plays a pivotal role in maintaining ovarian homeostasis and responding to physiological changes. To uncover the nature and function of RO cells, we conducted transcriptome analysis, encompassing bulk, single-cell, and nucleus-level sequencing of both fetal and adult RO tissues using thePax8-rtTA; Tre- H2B-GFPmouse line, where all RO regions express nuclear GFP. This study presents three datasets, which highlight RO-specific gene expression signatures and reveal differences in gene expression across the three RO regions during development and in adulthood. The integration and rigorous validation of these datasets will advance our understanding of the RO’s roles in ovarian development, female maturation, and adult female fertility.Short narrativeThis study employs comprehensive bulk, single cell and single nucleus transcriptome analysis to uncover gene expression signatures of the fetal and adult rete ovarii (RO).

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 72%

Section: Background and Summarymentioning

confidence: 53%

Transcriptome analysis of the mouse fetal and adult rete ovarii and surrounding tissues

Anbarci,

O’Rourke,

Xiang

et al. 2023

Preprint

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show abstract

“…Recently, the IOR has gained attention as a newly described progenitor for supporting cells of the murine gonad (Mayère et al, 2022). Recent single cell transcriptomics studies have also identified cells of the RO within human fetal gonads (Lardenois et al, 2023; Taelman et al, 2022). We reported that the entire RO expresses high levels of PAX8, and chose to use this as a marker to visualize and characterize cells of the RO.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rediscovering theRete Ovarii: a secreting auxiliary structure to the ovary

Anbarci,

McKey,

Levic

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Therete ovarii(RO) is an appendage of the ovary that has been given little attention. Although the RO appears in drawings of the ovary in early versions of Gray’s Anatomy, it disappeared from recent textbooks, and is often dismissed as a functionless vestige in the adult ovary. Using PAX8 immunostaining and confocal microscopy, we characterized the fetal development of the RO in the context of the ovary. The RO consists of three distinct regions that persist in adult life, the intraovarian rete (IOR), the extraovarian rete (EOR), and the connecting rete (CR). While the cells of the IOR appear to form solid cords within the ovary, the EOR rapidly develops into a convoluted tubular epithelium ending in a distal dilated tip. Cells of the EOR are ciliated and exhibit cellular trafficking capabilities. The CR, connecting the EOR to the IOR, gradually acquires tubular epithelial characteristics by birth. Using microinjections into the distal dilated tip of the EOR, we found that luminal contents flow towards the ovary. Mass spectrometry revealed that the EOR lumen contains secreted proteins potentially important for ovarian function. We show that the cells of the EOR are closely associated with vasculature and macrophages, and are contacted by neuronal projections. The direct proximity of the RO to the ovary and its integration with the extraovarian landscape suggest that it plays an important role in ovary development and homeostasis.

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Single-cell transcriptome landscape of developing fetal gonads defines somatic cell lineage specification in humans

Lardenois

Suglia

Moore

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Gonad development is an exciting model to study cell fate commitment. However, the specification and differentiation of somatic cell lineages within the testis and the ovary are incompletely characterized, especially in humans. In fact, a better understanding of sex determination first requires the identification of all the cell types involved and of their dynamic expression programs. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of approximately 128,000 single cells collected from 33 fetal testes and ovaries between 5 and 12 postconceptional weeks. In particular, a focused analysis of somatic cells allowed us to identify a common population of bipotential progenitors derived from the coelomic epithelium of both male and female gonads and capable of committing to either a steroidogenic or a supporting fate. Moreover, we have shown that early supporting cells, prior to further differentiation into Sertoli or granulosa cells, also give rise to the rete testis/ovarii lineage. Finally, we found that the ovary retains the capacity to feed the supporting cell pool for an extended period of time, directly from the surface epithelial cells and, bypassing the bipotential progenitor step. Altogether, our results provide an unprecedented revisiting of the human gonadal sex determination process.

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Characterization of the human fetal rete region by single cell transcriptional analysis of gonads and mesonephros/epididymis

Cited by 3 publications

References 51 publications

Transcriptome analysis of the mouse fetal and adult rete ovarii and surrounding tissues

Transcriptome analysis of the mouse fetal and adult rete ovarii and surrounding tissues

Rediscovering theRete Ovarii: a secreting auxiliary structure to the ovary

Single-cell transcriptome landscape of developing fetal gonads defines somatic cell lineage specification in humans

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