The analysis of gene products in cells is an important tool for diagnosing disease and the design of new active substances in biological and medical research. A method of targeted RNA sequencing has now been developed, which precisely detects the smallest amounts of gene transcripts in single cells. The method enables the identification and enrichment of individually selected molecules in a sample in order to investigate their cellular function. This makes it possible to selectively characterize genes in each cell with high precision.
Single-cell RNA sequencing is based on the investigation of the molecular transcripts generated by active regions of the genome in individual cells. Depending on type and stage of development, cells activate different gene sets that are read from RNA molecules and translated into proteins.
The number of mRNA molecules — also called transcripts — per gene in a given cell can inform us about their identity and their physiological response to internal or external signals. These can be diseases, the aging process, environmental influences or reactions to pharmacological agents.
Source: Science Daily