SCLD: a stem cell lineage database for the annotation of cell types and developmental lineages

Stem cell biology has experienced explosive growth over the past decade as researchers attempt to generate therapeutically relevant cell types in the laboratory. Recapitulation of endogenous developmental trajectories is a dominant paradigm in the design of directed differentiation protocols, and attempts to guide stem cell differentiation are often based explicitly on knowledge of in vivo development. Therefore, when designing protocols, stem cell biologists rely heavily upon information including (i) cell type-specific gene expression profiles, (ii) anatomical and developmental relationships between cells and tissues and (iii) signals important for progression from progenitors to target cell types. Here, we present the Stem Cell Lineage Database (SCLD) (http://scld.mcb.uconn.edu) that aims to unify this information into a single resource where users can easily store and access information about cell type gene expression, cell lineage maps and stem cell differentiation protocols for both human and mouse stem cells and endogenous developmental lineages. By establishing the SCLD, we provide scientists with a centralized location to organize access and share data, dispute and resolve contentious relationships between cell types and within lineages, uncover discriminating cell type marker panels and design directed differentiation protocols.