High Resolution Single Cell Maps Reveals Distinct Cell Organization and Function Across Different Regions of the Human Intestine

The colon is a complex organ that promotes digestion, extracts nutrients, participates in immune surveillance, maintains critical symbiotic relationships with microbiota, and affects overall health. To better understand its organization, functions, and its regulation at a single cell level, we performed CODEX multiplexed imaging, as well as single nuclear RNA and open chromatin assays across eight different intestinal sites of four donors. Through systematic analyses we find cell compositions differ dramatically across regions of the intestine, demonstrate the complexity of epithelial subtypes, and find that the same cell types are organized into distinct neighborhoods and communities highlighting distinct immunological niches present in the intestine. We also map gene regulatory differences in these cells suggestive of a regulatory differentiation cascade, and associate intestinal disease heritability with specific cell types. These results describe the complexity of the cell composition, regulation, and organization for this organ, and serve as an important reference map for understanding human biology and disease. ### Competing Interest Statement CMS is a scientific advisor to, has stock options in, and has received research funding from Enable Medicine, Inc. W.J.G. is a consultant for 10x Genomics and Guardant Health, Co-founder of Protillion Biosciences, and is named on patents describing ATAC-seq. M.P.S. is cofounder and advisory board member of Personalis, Qbio, January AI, Mirvie, Filtricine, Fodsel, Protos. G.P.N. received research grants from Pfizer, Inc.; Vaxart, Inc.; Celgene, Inc.; and Juno Therapeutics, Inc. during the course of this work. G.P.N. has equity in and is a scientific advisory board member of Akoya Biosciences, Inc.