Single - Cell Sequencing
Single cell sequencing technologies hold great promise for understanding the biology of many complex diseases. Single cell sequencing technologies are revolutionizing the field of genomics. scDNA-seq can be used to measure the genome of each cell of a population, providing insights into the genetic heterogeneity of diseases like cancer. scRNA-seq can be used to measure the transcriptome of each cell, providing insights into how gene expression varies between different cell types. These technologies have been used to identify novel mutations in cancerous cells, explore the progressive epigenome variations occurring during embryonic development and assess how a seemingly homogeneous cells’ population expresses specific genes. With continued advances in single cell sequencing technologies, we will gain ever greater insight into the biology of complex diseases. By allowing researchers to measure the genome, DNA-methylome, or transcriptome of each individual cell in a population, scRNA-seq is providing unprecedented insights into the complexities of biology. These technologies have already been used to identify novel mutations in cancer cells, explore the progressive epigenome variations occurring during embryonic development, and assess how a seemingly homogeneous cell population expresses specific genes.
As scRNA-seq technologies continue to improve, they will doubtlessly provide even more insights into the inner workings of life.
