Decoding Human Embryonic Skeletal Development with Multi-Omic Insights

This study presents a pioneering multi-omic atlas of human embryonic skeletal development, profiling over 336,000 nucleus droplets and employing spatial transcriptomics to map bone and joint formation between 5 and 11 weeks post-conception. Researchers uncovered region-specific trajectories for limb and cranial osteoprogenitors, detailing the regulatory networks driving intramembranous and endochondral ossification. Novel tools like ISS-Patcher localized progenitor zonation, while trajectory analyses revealed unexpected Schwann cell origins for chondrocytes. The SNP2Cell tool linked cell-specific regulatory networks to polygenic traits, such as osteoarthritis, and in silico perturbations provided insights into craniosynostosis mechanisms. This comprehensive atlas enhances understanding of skeletal cell-fate determination and offers a resource for exploring bone and cartilage development.