Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40576432›Full record

ArticleInvestigative ophthalmology & visual science2025

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of Rabbit Sclera at Different Developmental Stages: Unveiling Scleral Cells Atlas and the Heterogeneity of Fibroblasts.

Fayuan Li, Chengqi Gu, Chengpeng Liang, Yang Li, Shuo Wang, Qingqing Tang, Huan Jiang, Shaorong Linghu, Tingting Dan, Rong Shi and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Investigative ophthalmology & visual science, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Fayuan LiDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China.
Chengqi GuDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China.
Chengpeng LiangDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China.
Yang LiDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China.
Shuo WangDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China.
Qingqing TangDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China.
Huan JiangDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China.
Shaorong LinghuDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China.
Tingting DanDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China.
Rong ShiDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China.
Xin LuoDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China.
Taixiang LiuDepartment of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou Province, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to construct a single-cell transcriptomic atlas of the developing rabbit sclera to elucidate fibroblast heterogeneity, differentiation trajectories, matrisome expression patterns, and intercellular communication, while revealing conserved molecular features of scleral cells through cross-species analysis. Methods: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed on scleral tissues from New Zealand rabbits at embryonic day 25 (E25) and postnatal days 7 (P7), 21 (P21), and 180 (P180). Libraries were prepared using the DNBelab C Series Kit and sequenced on the BGISEQ-2000 platform. Sequencing reads were aligned to the OryCun2.0 genome using STAR, and unique molecular identifier (UMI) count matrices were generated with PISA. Data preprocessing was conducted using Seurat. Fibroblast lineage differentiation was analyzed via VIA, intercellular communication via CellChat, matrisome expression patterns via AUCell, and cross-species analyses via CACIMAR and hdWGCNA. Results: We identified 7 major cell types and 15 subpopulations, with fibroblasts dominating the cellular landscape. Distinct fibroblast subtypes exhibited varied expression profiles and functions: KERAlow SPARCL1⁺ fibroblasts showed stem/progenitor-like features, while KERAhigh myocilin (MYOC)⁺ fibroblasts displayed senescence-associated phenotypes. Matrisome analysis revealed dynamic alterations in collagen and extracellular matrix (ECM)-related genes, and intercellular communication analysis highlighted complex signaling networks, particularly the MDK/PTN pathway. Cross-species comparisons demonstrated high conservation of fibroblasts between rabbit and human sclera, identifying four conserved co-expression modules. Conclusions: This study presents the first single-cell atlas of rabbit scleral development, unveiling fibroblast heterogeneity, ECM remodeling mechanisms, and cross-species conserved features. These findings enhance our understanding of scleral biology and provide valuable insights for future research on ocular development and associated diseases, including myopia.

Indexed as

FibroblastsGene Expression Regulation, DevelopmentalScleraAnimalsCell DifferentiationRabbitsSequence Analysis, RNASingle-Cell AnalysisTranscriptome

Identifiers

PMID40576432
PMCPMC12212446

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.