Single-cell RNA sequencing in oral science: Current awareness and perspectives

The emergence of single-cell RNA sequencing enables simultaneous sequencing of thousands of cells, making the analysis of cell population heterogeneity more efficient. In recent years, single-cell RNA sequencing has been used in the investigation of heterogeneous cell populations, cellular developmental trajectories, stochastic gene transcriptional kinetics, and gene regulatory networks, providing strong support in life science research. However, the application of single-cell RNA sequencing in the field of oral science has not been reviewed comprehensively yet. Therefore, this paper reviews the development and application of single-cell RNA sequencing in oral science, including fields of tissue development, teeth and jaws diseases, maxillofacial tumors, infections, etc., providing reference and prospects for using single-cell RNA sequencing in studying the oral diseases, tissue development, and regeneration.