FIGURE 2.

The re‐clustering of the Sox10‐enriched cluster “Schwann Cell Precursor (SPC) derivatives/glia” indicates that the OECs form from SCPs. (A) The Sox10‐enriched cluster includes four cell types: Schwann Cell Precursors (SCPs), Melanocytes, Schwann Cells (SCs), and Olfactory Ensheathing Cells (OECs). SCs and OECs seem to form a dichotomy beginning with SCPs. (B) Feature plots display enriched genes in specific subclusters; the arrow colors indicate the clusters of the same colors in (A). (C) Re‐clustering of (A) without melanocytes implies the presence of an intermediate cell population of immature SCs (imSCs). (D) A model proposing that the OECs associated with olfactory/vomeronasal neurons (OSNs/VSNs) and the Schwann cells (SCs) of the peripheral nerves (PNs) both originate from Schwann cell precursors (SCPs). (E) RNA Velocity indicates that OECs and SCs differentiate starting from SCPs; darker colors indicate a less‐differentiated state, while orange‐yellow signifies more differentiated states. (F) Heatmap illustrating enriched genes in SCPs, imSCs, SCs, and OECs. (G) Violin plots demonstrate Fabp7 and Nell2 enrichment in OECs. (H) Nell2 and Fabp7 colocalization (arrowheads) in OECs surrounding the olfactory bulb (OB). (I–J″) Cdh6 and Nell2 immunoreactivity appear to be mutually exclusive, with Nell2 enriched in OECs and Cdh6 in SCs along the trigeminal projections (Tg). (K) In situ hybridizations on lateral and medial sections of E14.5 mouse heads showing Cdh6, Mpz, and Nell2. Cdh6 and Mpz RNA are visible in the ethmoidal projections (Et) of the trigeminal ganglion (Tg), while Nell2 is not found in the trigeminal projections but in the OECs in the nose and surrounding the olfactory bulb (OB) (images are from gene paint).