Abstract
The investigation of human disease mechanisms is difficult due to the heterogeneity in gene expression and the physiological state of cells in a given population. In comparison to bulk cell measurements, single-cell measurement technologies can provide a better understanding of the interactions among molecules, organelles, cells, and the microenvironment, which can aid in the development of therapeutics and diagnostic tools. In recent years, single-cell technologies have become increasingly robust and accessible, although limitations exist. In this review, we describe the recent advances in single-cell technologies and their applications in single-cell manipulation, diagnosis, and therapeutics development.
Highlights
Cells are the fundamental operating units in living organisms
Cells communicate over small distances through direct contacts or over extended distances through chemical signals regulated by the microenvironment [1,2,3]
Such cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions are based on the gene expression of individual cells, with detrimental genetic aberrations leading to the development of diseases
Summary
Cells are the fundamental operating units in living organisms. In multicellular organisms, cells communicate over small distances through direct contacts or over extended distances through chemical signals regulated by the microenvironment [1,2,3]. The development of lab-on-a-chip, along with bio-micro electro mechanical systems (Bio-MEMS) or micro total analysis system (μTAS), may serve as a methodology that can provide high throughput data, with limited reagent consumption and assay complexity [23,24,25,26]. These systems are designed for single-cell assays at the 10–100 μm scale. The research perspective, future prospects of SCT, and its applications will be discussed
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