Visualization of individual cell division history in complex tissues

The study developed an inducible cell division counter (iCOUNT) to track cell division events in human and mouse tissues both in vitro and in vivo. By analyzing neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) in the developing and adult brain, iCOUNT provided new insights into stem cell behavior. The researchers used single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) on iCOUNT-labelled NSPCs and their progenies from the developing mouse cortex and human forebrain organoids. This helped identify molecular pathways commonly regulated between mouse and human cells based on individual cell division histories. The tool enabled the characterization of molecular consequences of repeated stem cell divisions, aiding the understanding of tissue formation, homeostasis, and repair.