Collagen-producing lung cell atlas identifies multiple subsets with distinct localization and relevance to fibrosis

Collagen-producing cells maintain the complex architecture of the lung and drive pathologic scarring in pulmonary fibrosis. Here we perform single-cell RNA-sequencing to identify all collagen-producing cells in normal and fibrotic lungs. We characterize multiple collagen-producing subpopulations with distinct anatomical localizations in different compartments of murine lungs. One subpopulation, characterized by expression of Cthrc1 (collagen triple helix repeat containing 1), emerges in fibrotic lungs and expresses the highest levels of collagens. Single-cell RNA-sequencing of human lungs, including those from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and scleroderma patients, demonstrate similar heterogeneity and…

• A
  AbbVie
• UM
  Uehara Memorial Foundation
• WT
  Wellcome Trust

  Award: 103749
• MM
  Mochida Memorial Foundation for Medical and Pharmaceutical Research
• UO
  University of California, San Francisco
• JS
  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
• NH
  National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

  Awards: P01 HL114501, HL108794, HL114501, HL123423, R01HL127349, U01HL122626