Comparative transcriptomic analysis of intestinal Tuft cells reveals species selectivity of DCLK1 expression

Intestinal tuft cells are an emerging class of cells under investigation for its potential role in colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. These cells are a rare population of cells within the intestinal epithelium, thus requiring the use of cell type markers to identify tuft cells for study. Mouse models have primarily targeted the Dclk1 gene to identify tuft cells; however, in human studies it has been more challenging to identify DCLK1 expression in the intestine. This rapid report aims to provide clarity on appropriate cell type markers to identify human intestinal tuft cells for study.