ArticleeLife2023
A single-cell atlas depicting the cellular and molecular features in human anterior cruciate ligamental degeneration: A single cell combined spatial transcriptomics study.
Article in eLife, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- Cross-species transcriptome-wide meta-analysis of anterior cruciate ligament rupture.BMC genomics · 2025Pooled it
- Sex-Based Differences in Cell Types and Gene Expression within the Anterior Cruciate Ligament.The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume · 2026Article
- Spatial transcriptomics: challenges and future directions in musculoskeletal diseases.Current opinion in rheumatology · 2026Review
- Single-cell transcriptional mapping ofJBMR plus · 2026Article
- Deciphering the Acetabular Labrum's Cellular Atlas: MDK Inhibition as a Novel Therapeutic Method for Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025Article
- Spatial transcriptomic applications in orthopedics.Connective tissue research · 2025Review
- Inflammatory factors released by ACL reconstruction tendon grafts and their potential for macrophage polarization.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Advances in spatial transcriptomics and its application in the musculoskeletal system.Bone research · 2025Review
- Single-cell multi-omics analysis identifies SPP1Biomarker research · 2025Article
- CCL4L2 participates in tendinopathy progression by promoting macrophage inflammatory responses: a single-cell analysis.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2024Article
- Myeloid Cells and Sensory Nerves Mediate Peritendinous Adhesion Formation via Prostaglandin E2.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Background: To systematically identify cell types in the human ligament, investigate how ligamental cell identities, functions, and interactions participated in the process of ligamental degeneration, and explore the changes of ligamental microenvironment homeostasis in the disease progression. Methods: Using single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial RNA sequencing of approximately 49,356 cells, we created a comprehensive cell atlas of healthy and degenerated human anterior cruciate ligaments. We explored the variations of the cell subtypes' spatial distributions and the different processes involved in the disease progression, linked them with the ligamental degeneration process using computational analysis, and verified findings with immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent staining. Results: We identified new fibroblast subgroups that contributed to the disease, mapped out their spatial distribution in the tissue and revealed two dynamic trajectories in the process of the degenerative process. We compared the cellular interactions between different tissue states and identified important signaling pathways that may contribute to the disease. Conclusions: This cell atlas provides the molecular foundation for investigating how ligamental cell identities, biochemical functions, and interactions contributed to the ligamental degeneration process. The discoveries revealed the pathogenesis of ligamental degeneration at the single-cell and spatial level, which is characterized by extracellular matrix remodeling. Our results provide new insights into the control of ligamental degeneration and potential clues to developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Funding: This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81972123, 82172508, 82372490) and 1.3.5 Project for Disciplines of Excellence of West China Hospital Sichuan University (ZYJC21030, ZY2017301).
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