Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40390022›Full record

ArticleGenome medicine2025

Spatiotemporal single-cell analysis elucidates the cellular and molecular dynamics of human cornea aging.

Dan Jiang, Ke Li, Yining Sun, Zicheng Zhang, Shuang Xie, Xintong Yu, Ruoqi Wang, Ying Feng, Qinxiang Zheng, Yajing Wen and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Genome medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–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

8 citing papers in PubMed.

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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

14 authors.

Dan Jiang *National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
Ke Li *National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
Yining Sun *National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
Zicheng ZhangNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
Shuang XieNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
Xintong YuNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
Ruoqi WangNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
Ying FengNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
Qinxiang ZhengNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
Yajing WenNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
Peter S ReinachNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China.
Yuanyuan DuHangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310000, China. yyduuu@163.com.
Meng ZhouNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China. zhoumeng@wmu.edu.cn.
Wei ChenNational Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Optometry and Visual Science, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, China. chenweimd@wmu.edu.cn.

Funding

The Key Research and Development Plan of Zhejiang Science and Technology Department Grant no. 2024C03206The National Key Technologies Research and Development Programme of China 2019YFC0840708
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe human cornea is a transparent and uniquely ordered optical-biological system. Precise coordination of its cellular mechanisms is essential to maintain its transparency and functionality. However, the spatial, cellular and molecular architecture of the human cornea and its intercellular interactions during aging have not been elucidated.

methodsWe performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-cell SpaTial Enhanced REsolution Omics-sequencing (scStereo-seq) analysis in corneal tissue from eight eyes of donors aged 33-88 years to elucidate the spatiotemporal cellular and molecular dynamics of human cornea aging. Immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting were performed to validate the findings.

resultsSpatiotemporal single-cell analysis revealed the complex cellular landscape, spatial organization and intercellular communication within the human cornea. The subpopulations of major cell types of the cornea were elucidated with precise spatial positions. In particular, we identified novel subpopulations, mapped the spatial positioning of limbal stem cells within the limbal niche, and delineated the interactions between major cell types. We observed that three basal cell subsets migrate centripetally from the peripheral to the central cornea with age, suggesting the "spatiotemporal centripetal pattern" as a novel paradigm for the age-related migration of corneal epithelial cells. Furthermore, we elucidated the age-related, region-specific molecular and functional characteristics of the corneal endothelium, demonstrating differential metabolic capacities and functional properties between the peripheral and central regions.

conclusionsAs the first comprehensive spatiotemporal atlas, our work provides a valuable resource for understanding tissue homeostasis in the human cornea and advances research on corneal pathology, transplantation, senescence and regenerative medicine in the context of corneal aging.

Indexed as

AgingCorneaSingle-Cell AnalysisAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSpatio-Temporal AnalysisAgingCorneascRNA-seqscStereo-seqSpatial transcriptomics

Identifiers

PMID40390022
PMCPMC12087038

What Socratic 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 Socratic graph.