Aging Fly Cell Atlas identifies exhaustive aging features at cellular resolution

Science. 2023 Jun 16;380(6650):eadg0934. doi: 10.1126/science.adg0934. Epub 2023 Jun 16.

Abstract

Aging is characterized by a decline in tissue function, but the underlying changes at cellular resolution across the organism remain unclear. Here, we present the Aging Fly Cell Atlas, a single-nucleus transcriptomic map of the whole aging Drosophila. We characterized 163 distinct cell types and performed an in-depth analysis of changes in tissue cell composition, gene expression, and cell identities. We further developed aging clock models to predict fly age and show that ribosomal gene expression is a conserved predictive factor for age. Combining all aging features, we find distinctive cell type-specific aging patterns. This atlas provides a valuable resource for studying fundamental principles of aging in complex organisms.

MeSH terms

  • Aging* / genetics
  • Animals
  • Atlases as Topic
  • Cellular Senescence*
  • Drosophila melanogaster* / cytology
  • Drosophila melanogaster* / genetics
  • Drosophila melanogaster* / physiology
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Transcriptome