Understanding regional distribution and specialization of small intestinal epithelial cells is crucial for developing methods to control appetite, stress, and nutrient uptake in swine. To establish better understanding of specific epithelial cells found across different regions of the small intestine in pigs, we utilized single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to recover and analyze epithelial cells from duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Cells identified included crypt cells, enterocytes, BEST4 enterocytes, goblet cells, and enteroendocrine (EE) cells. EE cells were divided into two subsets based on the level of expression of the EE lineage commitment gene, NEUROD1. NEUROD1hi EE cells had minimal expression of hormone-encoding genes and were dissimilar to EE cells in humans and mice, indicating a subset of EE cells unique to pigs. Proximal-to-distal gradients of expression were noted for hormone-encoding genes in EE cells and nutrient transport genes in enterocytes, demonstrating regional specialization. Overall, results provide new information on regional specialization and transcriptional profiles of epithelial cells in the pig small intestine.

Authors: Jayne E. Wiarda, Sage R. Becker, Sathesh K. Sivasankaran, Crystal L. Loving