Single Cell Analysis of ACE2 Expression Reveals the Potential Targets for 2019-nCoV

ACE2, the putative receptor for the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), played an important role in cell entry of 2019-nCoV. However, it is not yet clear what cell types within the human body express ACE2. Here, a systematic analysis was undertaken using published single cell datasets. In total, our study analyzed 229652 cells, from five different organs, derived from 88 donors. The top ACE2 expressing cells include proximal tubule cells in the kidney and enterocytes in the intestine. Other major ACE2 expressing cells in the kidney include podocytes, intercalated cells and endothelial cells. Our results offer a comprehensive atlas of ACE2 expression at the single cell level and unravel the enormous potential targets of 2019-nCoVinfection beyond the lung.