Postnatal dynamics and maturation of the epidermal immune compartment is coordinated by niche intrinsic signals, but not microbial colonization

Although their origin from fetal progenitors have been defined, the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing their postnatal maturation upon colonisation of the epidermis around birth remain incompletely understood.

Here, we present an imaging- and transcriptome-resolved single-cell roadmap of LC and DETC maturation in the murine epidermis from late embryogenesis through adulthood. We identify distinct, progressive maturation trajectories for both cell types, marked by coordinated changes in morphology, proliferation, and transcriptional programming. Using mice deficient for bona fide DETCs, we demonstrate that LC maturation occurs independently of DETCs.