Single-cell research: what determines its feasibility?

A general problem in single-cell research (SCR) is whether a representative cell is picked for analysis. In many cases, it may determine feasibility of SCR. Here, using a probability approach, we analyze this problem for laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy (LTRS), a promising technique for SCR. The results suggest that two main parameters determine the success and feasibility of SCR: the probability of picking a representative cell and the number of representative cells to be picked and analyzed. Both parameters determine the number of experiments required to obtain meaningful results. The approach is verified on several particular examples of SCR.