Single-cell chromatin landscapes associated with the burnt skin healing process in rats

Thermal injuries represent one of the most severe forms of trauma to the human body, with a high annual incidence of burn victims globally. Skin regeneration and wound healing following thermal injury constitute a complex process involving various cell types and cytokine interactions. By Single-cell ATAC sequencing (scATAC-seq), we elucidated the molecular mechanisms underlying the dermal regeneration and healing processes following thermal injury in a rat model. Tissue samples were harvested for sequencing at predetermined intervals (0 h, 12 h, 24 h, 3 d, 7 d, 11 d, 15 d, and 19 d post-injury), yielding 28,179 high-quality single cells. Our comprehensive analysis revealed 28 distinct cell populations throughout the regenerative process, encompassing various subsets of keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and immune cells, exhibiting temporal heterogeneity across samples. Furthermore, we investigated the chromatin accessibility landscape of individual cell types and identified enriched transcription factor binding motifs, corroborating the robustness and validity of our data. Our dataset provides a valuable resource for further elucidation of burnt skin regeneration and healing processes.