Application of single-cell RNA sequencing methodologies in understanding haematopoiesis and immunology. Issue 2 (11th June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ranzoni, Anna M.; Strzelecka, Paulina M.; Cvejic, Ana
• Editors: Szczelkun, Mark
• Is Part Of: Essays in biochemistry. Volume 63:Issue 2(2019)
• Page Start: 217
• Page End: 225
• Publication Date: 2019-06-11
• Subjects: haematopoiesis -- immunology -- Single-cell RNA sequencing; Biochemistry -- Periodicals; 572
• DOI: 10.1042/EBC20180072
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0071-1365

Abstract

Abstract : The blood and immune system are characterised by utmost diversity in its cellular components. This heterogeneity can solely be resolved with the application of single-cell technologies that enable precise examination of cell-to-cell variation. Single-cell transcriptomics is continuously pushing forward our understanding of processes driving haematopoiesis and immune responses in physiological settings as well as in disease. Remarkably, in the last five years, a number of studies involving single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) allowed the discovery of new immune cell types and revealed that haematopoiesis is a continuous rather than a stepwise process, thus challenging the classical haematopoietic lineage tree model. This review summarises the most recent studies which applied scRNA-seq to answer outstanding questions in the fields of haematology and immunology and discusses the present challenges and future directions.