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Individual cells of the same phenotype are commonly viewed as identical functional units of a tissue or organ. However, the deep sequencing of DNA and RNA from single cells suggests a more complex ecology of heterogeneous cell states that together produce emergent system-level function. Continuing development of high-content, real-time, multimodal single-cell measurement technologies will lead to the ultimate goal of understanding the function of an individual cell in the context of its microenvironment.
Emerging technologies are bringing single-cell genome sequencing into the mainstream; this field has already yielded insights into the genetic architecture and variability between cells that highlight the dynamic nature of the genome.
Recent technical advances have enabled RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in single cells. Exploratory studies have already led to insights into the dynamics of differentiation, cellular responses to stimulation and the stochastic nature of transcription. We are entering an era of single-cell transcriptomics that holds promise to substantially impact biology and medicine.
Single-cell genome and transcriptome sequencing methods are generating a fresh wave of biological insights into development, cancer and neuroscience. Kelly Rae Chi reports.