Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41634368›Full record

ArticleCell death and differentiation2026

Single cell analysis of developing Merkel cells reveals the emergence of non-coding RNA biotypes as a hallmark of terminal differentiation.

Lingling Miao, Loren Collado, Savannah Barkdull, Patrick Hallaert, Mackenzie R Martin, Berkley E Gryder, Michael C Kelly, Stefania Dell'Orso, Matthew W Kelley, Isaac Brownell

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Cell death and differentiation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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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

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

10 authors.

Lingling MiaoDermatology Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Loren ColladoDermatology Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Savannah BarkdullDermatology Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-1162-3665
Patrick HallaertDermatology Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-1998-1119
Mackenzie R MartinDermatology Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Berkley E GryderDepartment of Genetics and Genome Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Michael C KellyLaboratory of Cochlear Development, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0654-2778
Stefania Dell'OrsoGenomic Technology Section, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Matthew W KelleyLaboratory of Cochlear Development, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7367-8697
Isaac BrownellDermatology Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. isaac.brownell@nih.gov.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0090-9914

Funding

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) Intramural Research Program: ZIA AR041221
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

RNA processing generates diverse protein-coding and non-coding transcripts, yet RNA biotype diversity during cellular differentiation is not well characterized. Merkel cells (MCs) are cutaneous mechanosensors. We analyzed full-length transcripts of FACS-sorted single mouse MCs at all stages of development and discovered that their terminal differentiation was accompanied by an emergence of non-coding transcripts associated with genes related to MC function. Non-coding RNAs upregulated during terminal differentiation included retained intron transcripts capable of forming nuclear condensates that contained their cognate mRNAs. We showed that Aspa retained intron condensates prevented the nuclear export of Aspa mRNA, reducing ASPA expression. Transcripts associated with terminal differentiation in five other mammalian cell types also showed an increased abundance of non-coding biotypes and this was attenuated in differentiation-defective Down syndrome neurons. These findings strongly suggest that the emergence of non-coding transcripts is a general feature of terminal differentiation and retained intron condensates can function to regulate gene expression.

Indexed as

Cell DifferentiationMerkel CellsRNA, UntranslatedSingle-Cell AnalysisAnimalsIntronsMiceRNA, MessengerRNA, MessengerRNA, Untranslated

Identifiers

PMID41634368
PMCPMC13342250

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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.