This scRNA-seq data is an integral part of a manuscript with the above title. Using computational methods, we were able to reconstruct a detailed branched trajectory reflecting pancreatic endocrine differentiation in the mouse embryo. Analysis of the transcriptional changes occuring during the differentiation suggested that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition likely plays no role in this process, contrary to the prevailing dogma. Our findings were corroborated with high-resolution imaging of the developing pancreas, revealing how differentiating endocrine progenitors migrate in cohesion, forming bud-like islet precursors, or "peninsulas", and that spatiotemporal collinearity during differentiation leads to the typical core-mantle architecture of the mature, spherical islet. This work led to a complete overhaul of our understanding of how pancreatic islets are developed, laying the ground for the generation of entire islets in vitro as a potential novel source of islet transplantation. SOURCE: Raghav Chawla (rchawla@uw.edu) - Trapnell Lab University of Washington

Pluto Bioinformatics

GSE121416: A peninsular structure coordinates asynchronous differentiation with morphogenesis to generate pancreatic islets