Continuum of Gene-Expression Profiles Provides Spatial Division of Labor within a Differentiated Cell Type.

摘要: Summary Single-cell gene expression reveals the diversity within a differentiated cell type. Often, cells of same type show continuum gene-expression patterns. The origin such patterns is unclear. To address this, we develop theory to understand how provides division labor in tissue which collectively contribute several tasks. We find that optimal when there are spatial gradients affect performance each task. bounded inside polyhedron whose vertices profiles at test this using single-cell for intestinal villi and liver hepatocytes, form curved 1D trajectory full 3D tetrahedron space, respectively. infer tasks both types characterize zonation task-specialist cells. This approach can be generally applied other tissues.