Single Cell Transcriptomics

Abstract

Single-cell transcriptomics is an emerging field with a variety of applications, from revealing tissue heterogeneity and cell identity to deepening our understanding of complex biological systems. Single-cell RNA-sequencing assays the transcriptome of individual cells, allowing for a refined resolution of transcription compared to the averaged profiles from bulk RNA-sequencing. Advances in the technology have resulted in a surplus of protocols, computational methods and studies. Multiple experimental approaches to isolate and sequence single cells provide many levels of coverage and throughput, allowing for the growth of computational pipelines and methods to assess and analyse this plethora. These advances will allow for the transcriptional documentation of all cells and cell types, which brings forth yet unknown opportunities for understanding all cellular life.