Classifying Cell Types Using Single Nucleus RNA Sequencing in the Simplex Retina of Little Skate (Leucoraja erinacea)
Andrew Lyon-Lee
Department of Biology
Faculty Supervisor: Ivan A. Anastassov
The Little Skate, with its rod-only retina and lifelong eye growth, offers a unique model system to study retinal development and possible regenerative processes. Furthermore, skate retina appears adated to function across the full range of environmental lighting conditions by using a single type of photoreceptor. The vast majority of other vertebrates use multiple photoreceptor types to perform the same function. Here, we use single nucleus RNA sequencing of 13,500 cells from two retinas to report the first single-cell transcriptomic atlas of Little Skate. We will utilize this atlas to identify major cell types in skate by using mouse, human, lamprey and zebrafish single cell transcriptomic data as a reference. Our atlas will provide insight into the heterogenic landscape and molecular architecture of the skate and will serve as a powerful genomic tool for future studies. This comprehensive atlas reveals the molecular architecture of the skate retina, highlighting conserved and divergent cell types compared to human retinas. Our findings provide a foundation for exploring the genetic basis of retinal regeneration and offer a valuable resource for future studies in regenerative medicine.