High-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing

High-throughput, droplet-based single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) provides unprecedented resolution to examine cell–cell heterogeneity in tissues and organs. Microfluidic channels combine individual cells with uniquely barcoded beads to analyze transcriptomes of thousands of cells in parallel that can reconstruct the biological structure in silico. Individual cells can be traced back through bead/cell-specific barcodes on the oligos, and individual transcript amplification bias is accounted for with unique molecular identifiers (UMIs). scRNA-Seq has been used to identify unique cell types, states, and responses on a single-cell level. Combined with single nucleus-level assays of chromatin, scRNA-Seq provides further understanding of gene regulation networks.