Optimizing single-cell RNA sequencing atlas integration: A pipeline approach

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Volume Title

Kemian tekniikan korkeakoulu | Master's thesis

Date

2024-08-29

Department

Major/Subject

Biological and Chemical Engineering

Mcode

Degree programme

Master's Programme in Biological and Chemical Engineering for a Sustainable Bioeconomy

Language

en

Pages

75

Series

Abstract

Single RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) has revolutionized our understanding of cellular diversity across various organisms and models. With the exponential rise in scRNA-seq data, the need for effective integration has become essential. However, challenges such as batch effects, computational limitations, and the lack of consensus on integration methodologies complicate the process. This thesis addresses these limitations to create a comprehensive neurodevelopmental atlas of fetal, 2D- and 3D-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) neuronal populations. To achieve this atlas, this work evaluates and benchmarks various state-of-the-art integration tools to determine the most effective strategies for data integration while maintaining biological integrity using neuronal cell datasets from Velmeshev et al. 2023. We propose a combined pipeline that leverages both scVI and scPoli generative model methods to effectively mitigate batch effects while preserving biological signals. The final atlas resulted in well-integrated datasets with accurate cell type annotations, enabling downstream analysis on cell type composition in our neuronal differentiation protocol (Shi et al. 2012). Finally, this integration also allowed for the comparison of in vitro iPSC models to in vivo fetal data in terms gene expression, thus enhancing our understanding of the applicability of the models.

Description

Supervisor

Lähdesmäki, Harri

Thesis advisor

Kilpinen, Helena
Puigdevall, Pau

Keywords

single-cell RNA-sequencing, data integration, batch effects, induced pluripotent stem cells, benchmarking, neurodevelopment

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