Research Techniques Made Simple: Single-Cell RNA Sequencing and its Applications in Dermatology
Xiaojun Wu1, Bin Yang2, Imo Udo-Inyang1
1Center for Cutaneous Biology and Immunology Research, Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA; Immunology Research Program, Henry Ford Cancer Institute, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Abstract:
RNA sequencing is one of the most highly reliable and reproducible methods of assessing the cell transcriptome. As high-throughput RNA sequencing libraries at the single cell level have recently developed, single cell RNA sequencing has become more feasible and popular in biology research. Single cell RNA sequencing allows investigators to evaluate cell transcriptional profiles at the single cell level. It has become a very useful tool to perform investigations that could not be addressed by other methodologies, such as the assessment of cell-to-cell variation, the identification of rare populations, and the determination of heterogeneity within a cell population. So far, the single cell RNA sequencing technique has been widely applied to embryonic development, immune cell development, and human disease progress and treatment. Here, we describe the history of single cell technology development and its potential application in the field of dermatology.
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