Single-cell transcriptomics

Single-cell transcriptomics measures RNA transcripts in individual cells to characterize gene expression. It reveals cell-to-cell differences that measurements averaged across many cells can obscure.

Single-cell RNA sequencing: A sequencing method that measures RNA molecules from individual cells. It is the main approach for turning individual cells’ transcripts into expression profiles.
Cell type: A class of cells defined by shared characteristics, including structure and function. Distinct expression patterns can reveal cell types within a mixed tissue.
Messenger RNA: RNA molecules that carry protein-coding information from DNA to cellular protein-making machinery. Many assays target messenger RNA as a proxy for active gene expression.
Bulk RNA sequencing: RNA sequencing that measures a pooled sample containing many cells. Its averaged profiles conceal cell-to-cell variation that single-cell assays resolve.
Cell barcoding: A method that assigns identifiable molecular tags to molecules or cells. Cell-specific tags keep transcripts attributable to their cells after pooling.
Cell atlas: A reference map of cell types, states, and locations across an organism or tissue. Single-cell profiles provide molecular measurements for building these maps.
Gene expression: The processes by which information from a gene produces functional RNA or protein. Transcript counts provide a snapshot of one layer of gene expression.
Microarray: A platform that measures nucleic-acid abundance through hybridization to probes on a surface. It measures pooled expression using predefined probes rather than cell-resolved sequencing.
Unique molecular identifier: A short sequence tag used to distinguish individual molecules in sequencing data. These tags help estimate original transcript counts despite amplification duplicates.
Tumor heterogeneity: Variation among cancer cells in genetic, molecular, or functional characteristics. Single-cell measurements expose distinct tumor populations masked by bulk averages.

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Oxyphil cells (parathyroid)Related: Single-cell profiles can test whether oxyphil cells have a stable molecular identity distinct from chief cells.