| Summary | Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) comprise a diverse class of transcripts that can regulate molecular and cellular processes in brain development and diseasee. LncRNAs exhibit cell type- and tissue-specific expression, but little is known about the expression and function of lncRNAs in the developing human brain. Here, we deeply profiled lncRNAs from polyadenylated and total RNA obtained from human neocortex at different stages of development and integrated this resource to analyze the transcriptomes of single cells. While lncRNAs were generally detected at low levels in whole tissues, single cell transcriptomics revealed that many lncRNAs are abundantly expressed in individual cells and are cell type-specific. Furthermore, we used CRISRPi to show that LOC646329, a lncRNA enriched in radial glia but detected at low abundance in tissues, regulates cell proliferation. The discrete and abundant expression of lncRNAs among individual cells has important implications for both their biological function and utility for distinguishing neural cell types. |
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