Single-cell metabolomics by mass spectrometry: Advances, challenges, and future applications

Cellular heterogeneity is a phenomenon that is often observed but poorly understood. Single-cell metabolomics can provide insights into the phenotypical variations between individual cells. Recent advances in microfluidics, micromanipulation, image analysis, and automation allowed for high-throughput isolation of single cells in a minimally disruptive manner as to not affect the cell metabolism. Coupled with new innovations in mass spectrometry-based analytical techniques, single cell metabolomics stands at the cusp of becoming an established field. In this review, some of the recent single cell isolation platforms that are especially suited for metabolomics will be highlighted, as well as the recent trends in mass spectrometry-based single cell platforms. Additionally, some of the limitations of single-cell metabolomics and its recent applications will be briefly discussed.