Cell Fate Decision as High-Dimensional Critical State Transition
Fig 3
Intermediate stage of myeloid commitment along CD11b dimension exhibits destabilization of progenitor state.
(A) Flow cytometry dot plot of expression of Sca1 and CD11b upon treatment of the progenitor EML cells with GM-CSF/IL-3. Three distinct subpopulations on d3, designated, α, β and γ, in the tri-modal distribution of CD11b flow cytometry histogram underneath (red line, treated; blue line, untreated). (B) Cell–cell correlation for 72 progenitor cells and 48 cells from each of the α, β, and γ subpopulations, and gene–gene correlation for all 17 genes of interest and two endogenous control genes. Pearson correlation coefficient displayed as heatmap; same color scheme as in Fig 2. Bar graphs in box show the drastic increase of IC for all the three subpopulations at d3 compared to the untreated progenitor cells, P(d0). IC computed as in Fig 1. (C) Rescue by EPO of the “rebellious” = unintended γ subpopulation (pink curve) during myeloid differentiation. Three subpopulations (α, dark blue; β, light blue; γ, pink) were FACS sorted and antibodies were removed and stimulated with EPO. Total cell number and viability were quantified on day of sorting (d3) and four subsequent days. Viability was determined based on percent of cells excluding trypan blue. Each point represents average +/- STD for two biological replicates.