The rise of single-cell proteomics

Area of Science:

• Proteomics
• Cellular Biology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Mass spectrometry-based proteomics provides insights into cellular processes but often overlooks tissue heterogeneity.
• Single-cell genomics and transcriptomics reveal significant variations within tissues and cell subpopulations.
• Proteins and their post-transcriptional modifications are key drivers of cellular function and identity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss recent advancements in single-cell proteomics.
• To highlight improvements in sample preparation and mass spectrometry instrumentation.
• To explore external developments that can advance comprehensive single-cell proteomic studies.

Main Methods:

• Review of specialized workflows for single-cell proteomics.
• Analysis of recent mass spectrometry (MS) instrumentation developments.
• Integration of advancements from related scientific fields.

Main Results:

• Quantification of over 1000 proteins from single cells is now achievable.
• Improvements in sample preparation and MS sensitivity are increasing proteome coverage.
• Progress is being made towards higher throughput and data reliability in single-cell proteomics.

Conclusions:

• Single-cell proteomics complements genomic and transcriptomic data by providing protein-level insights.
• Continued development of workflows and instrumentation is crucial for comprehensive single-cell proteomic analysis.
• Future advancements promise to enhance the understanding of cellular heterogeneity and function at the single-cell level.