Abstract
Compared with long bone that arises from the mesoderm, the major portion of the maxillofacial bones and the front bone of the skull are derived from cranial neural crest cells and undergo intramembranous ossification. Human skeletal stem cells have been identified in embryonic and fetal long bones. Here, we describe a single-cell atlas of the human embryonic mandible and identify a population of cranio-maxillofacial skeletal stem cells (CMSSCs). These CMSSCs are marked by interferon-induced transmembrane protein 5 (IFITM5) and are specifically located around the periosteum of the jawbone and frontal bone. Additionally, these CMSSCs exhibit strong self-renewal and osteogenic differentiation capacities but lower chondrogenic differentiation potency, mediating intramembranous bone formation without cartilage formation. IFITM5+ cells are also observed in the adult jawbone and exhibit functions similar to those of embryonic CMSSCs. Thus, this study identifies CMSSCs that orchestrate the intramembranous ossification of cranio-maxillofacial bones, providing a deeper understanding of cranio-maxillofacial skeletal development and promising seed cells for bone repair.