A Roadmap for a Consensus Human Skin Cell Atlas and Single-Cell Data Standardization.

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Publication Year:
2023
Authors:
Axel A Almet, Hao Yuan, Karl Annusver, Raul Ramos, Yingzi Liu, Julie Wiedemann, Dara H Sorkin, Ning Xu Landen, Eniko Sonkoly, Muzlifah Haniffa, Qing Nie, Beate M Lichtenberger, Malte D Luecken, Bogi Andersen, Lam C Tsoi, Fiona M Watt, Johann E Gudjonsson, Maksim V Plikus, Maria Kasper
PubMed ID:
37612031
Funding Grants:
Public Summary:
Single-cell technologies have become essential to driving discovery in both basic and translational investigative dermatology. Despite the multitude of available datasets, a central reference atlas of normal human skin, which can serve as a reference resource for skin cell types, cell states, and their molecular signatures, is still lacking. For any such atlas to receive broad acceptance, participation by many investigators during atlas construction is an essential prerequisite. As part of the Human Cell Atlas project, we have assembled a Skin Biological Network to build a consensus Human Skin Cell Atlas and outline a roadmap toward that goal. We define the drivers of skin diversity to be considered when selecting sequencing datasets for the atlas and list practical hurdles during skin sampling that can result in data gaps and impede comprehensive representation and technical considerations for tissue processing and computational analysis, the accounting for which should minimize biases in cell type enrichments and exclusions and decrease batch effects. By outlining our goals for Atlas 1.0, we discuss how it will uncover new aspects of skin biology.
Scientific Abstract:
Single-cell technologies have become essential to driving discovery in both basic and translational investigative dermatology. Despite the multitude of available datasets, a central reference atlas of normal human skin, which can serve as a reference resource for skin cell types, cell states, and their molecular signatures, is still lacking. For any such atlas to receive broad acceptance, participation by many investigators during atlas construction is an essential prerequisite. As part of the Human Cell Atlas project, we have assembled a Skin Biological Network to build a consensus Human Skin Cell Atlas and outline a roadmap toward that goal. We define the drivers of skin diversity to be considered when selecting sequencing datasets for the atlas and list practical hurdles during skin sampling that can result in data gaps and impede comprehensive representation and technical considerations for tissue processing and computational analysis, the accounting for which should minimize biases in cell type enrichments and exclusions and decrease batch effects. By outlining our goals for Atlas 1.0, we discuss how it will uncover new aspects of skin biology.