大年初一，中国科学院发表马年首篇Cell论文

Core Viewpoint - The research published in the journal Cell reveals the organ-specific differentiation of endothelial cells during embryonic development in mice, highlighting the role of specific transcription factors in this process [3][4][8]. Group 1: Research Findings - Endothelial cells (EC) are crucial components of the vertebrate circulatory system, and their organ-specific transcriptional heterogeneity has not been comprehensively mapped [6]. - The study constructed a time-series resource covering the entire embryonic development of mice, including 26 time points and 8 organs, revealing the timing and lineage trajectories of organ-specific endothelial cells [6][9]. - The transcription factor Casz1 is identified as a key regulator of lung endothelial development and organ-specific differentiation, influencing the interaction between lung endothelium and epithelium through the secretion of paracrine factors like FGF1 [4][6]. Group 2: Methodology - The research utilized single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to analyze the unique organ-specific characteristics of endothelial cells at the transcriptional level [2][4]. - A comparative analysis of endothelial cell genes and signaling pathways across different organs was conducted, demonstrating that most endothelial cells exhibit distinguishable organ-specific traits before late pregnancy [6][9]. Group 3: Implications - The findings suggest that the loss of organ-specific characteristics in endothelial cells could impact the development and regeneration of corresponding organs, although this area remains under-researched [2][6]. - The study provides a powerful resource for understanding the basic principles of organ-specific endothelial cell differentiation and uncovers previously unknown molecular mechanisms regulating lung-specific vascular development [8].