Human Gonad Developmental Cell Atlas

ended

The single ground-breaking goal of the HUGODECA project is to describe the cellular composition and organization of the developing human gonads and to understand how it changes during sex determination into testes in males and ovaries in females. What are the underlying mechanisms and first molecular and cellular events that accompany the differentiation and divergence of embryonic gonads? How and when do male and female cell lineages diverge and specific traits emerge? HUGODECA focuses on healthy gonad development, but our reference model will be tested using specific ex vixo assays mimicking Differences/Disorders of Sex Development (DSD). To reach this ambitious goal, the HUGODECA consortium brings together leading European academic and industrial experts (from 5 different EU countries). It includes active contributors and executives of the Human Cell Atlas (HCA) which will ensure complementarity with other ongoing HCA efforts. The overall HUGODECA concept is grounded on the integration of multiple synergistic expertise and technologies: Single cell profiling, Spatial transcriptomics, 2D Mass cytometry and cyclic immunofluorescence and 3D imaging of optically cleared gonads. HUGODECA will implement novel tools, analytical and computational methods to process and integrate multidimensional OMICS and image data across different platforms. It will evaluate the accuracy of ex vivo culture models of human gonadal development and assess consequences of altering key signaling pathways. HUGODECA will build the first multiscale developmental cell atlas and unprecedented reference maps of male and female human gonads. It will implement an interactive and multi-dimensional online portal for clinicians, scientists and public including DSD patient associations. HUGODECA shall improve our understanding of DSD, which is a major pediatric concern, requiring complex and highly specialized medical treatment and psychosocial care.