This repository contains all scripts to reproduce the results from the paper "Differentiation dynamics of the developing mammary gland revealed by single-cell RNA-sequencing".
Characterising the hierarchy of mammary epithelial cells (MECs) and how they are regulated during adult development is important for understanding how breast cancer arises. Here we report the use of single-cell RNA sequencing to determine the gene expression profile of MECs across four developmental stages; nulliparous, mid gestation, lactation and post involution. Our analysis of 23,184 cells identifies 15 clusters, few of which could be fully characterised by a single marker gene. We argue instead that the epithelial cells—especially in the luminal compartment—should rather be conceptualised as being part of a continuous spectrum of differentiation. Furthermore, our data support the existence of a common luminal progenitor cell giving rise to intermediate, restricted alveolar and hormone-sensing pro- genitors. This luminal progenitor compartment undergoes transcriptional changes in response to a full pregnancy, lactation and involution. In summary, our results provide a global, unbiased view of adult mammary gland development.
The repository is structured as follows:
- All scripts are contained in the src folder
- Scripts are organized in analytical scripts that produce e.g. csv outputs and scripts that were used to generate the figures of the paper
For questions contact kb615 -at- cam.ac.uk