A Proximal-to-Distal Survey of Healthy Adult Human Small Intestine and Colon Epithelium by Single-Cell Transcriptomics

A total of 12,590 single epithelial cells from 3 independently processed organ donors were evaluated for organ-specific lineage biomarkers, differentially regulated genes, receptors, and drug targets. Analyses focused on intrinsic cell properties and their capacity for response to extrinsic signals along the gut axis across different human beings.

cells express Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and show maturational differences between the small intestine and colon. Tuft cells possess a broad ability to interact with the innate and adaptive immune systems through previously unreported receptors. Some classes of mucins, hormones, cell junctions, and nutrient absorption genes show unappreciated regional expression differences across lineages. The differential expression of receptors and drug targets across lineages show biological variation and the potential for variegated responses.