A single-cell RNA-seq dataset characterizing cellular diversity in healthy equine skin

Abstract

The skin serves as the primary barrier tissue in horses and is frequently affected by immune-mediated dermatological conditions, most notably insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH). Yet, the cellular composition and transcriptional landscape of normal equine skin have never been characterized at single-cell resolution. Here, we present a single-cell RNA sequencing dataset of healthy equine skin comprising 85,574 high-quality transcriptomes from two horses, with one skin biopsy collected from each horse, divided into two portions for independent processing via manual or automated tissue dissociation. The dataset resolved 22 transcriptionally distinct cell populations, encompassing keratinocyte subpopulations that reflect discrete epidermal differentiation states, adnexal epithelial lineages, stromal and vascular compartments, and resident immune cell types. Cell-type identities are supported by marker gene expression, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, and functional module scoring. This dataset constitutes the first single-cell transcriptomic reference of normal equine skin, enabling investigations into equine dermatological diseases, wound healing, immune responses and comparative skin biology.