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Published on: January 12, 2018
Ageing and sources of transcriptional heterogeneity
Chrysa Nikopoulou1, Swati Parekh1, Peter Tessarz1,2
1Max Planck Research Group 'Chromatin and Ageing', Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 9b, D-50931 Cologne, Germany.
Abstract:
Cellular heterogeneity is an important contributor to biological function and is employed by cells, tissues and organisms to adapt, compensate, respond, defend and/or regulate specific processes. Research over the last decades has revealed that transcriptional noise is a major driver for cell-to-cell variability. In this review we will discuss sources of transcriptional variability, in particular bursting of gene expression and how it could contribute to cellular states and fate decisions. We will highlight recent developments in single cell sequencing technologies that make it possible to address cellular heterogeneity in unprecedented detail. Finally, we will review recent literature, in which these new technologies are harnessed to address pressing questions in the field of ageing research, such as transcriptional noise and cellular heterogeneity in the course of ageing.
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Transcription
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