Analyzing single-cell data
In this recipe, we’ll look at the exciting world of single-cell analysis. We’ve seen that microfluidics technology is poised to transform the throughput and accuracy with which we can perform biological experiments. This has powered the rise of single-cell technologies in which individual cells can be sorted, classified, and then handled for further analysis.
Before this technology came about, most experiments were performed using bulk cell analysis. This refers to the fact that large numbers of cells are mixed together and analyzed as a group, meaning that we are averaging out their properties. But individual cells each have different transcriptional programs, proteomic states, and metabolic profiles at any given time. To really understand biology, we need the ability to look at cells one at a time. This is where single-cell analysis comes in.
Here are some of the main types of single-cell technology:
- Genomics: Analyzes the DNA...
