Navigating single-cell RNA-sequencing: protocols, tools, databases, and applications

Abstract Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology brought about a revolutionary change in the transcriptomic world, paving the way for comprehensive analysis of cellular heterogeneity in complex biological systems. It enabled researchers to see how different cells behaved at single-cell lev...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ankish Arya, Prabhat Tripathi, Nidhi Dubey, Imlimaong Aier, Pritish Kumar Varadwaj
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BioMed Central 2025-05-01
Series:Genomics & Informatics
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s44342-025-00044-5
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Summary:Abstract Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology brought about a revolutionary change in the transcriptomic world, paving the way for comprehensive analysis of cellular heterogeneity in complex biological systems. It enabled researchers to see how different cells behaved at single-cell levels, providing new insights into the process. However, despite all these advancements, scRNA-seq also experiences challenges related to the complexity of data analysis, interpretation, and multi-omics data integration. In this review, these complications were discussed in detail, directly pointing at the optimization of scRNA-seq approaches and understanding the world of single-cell and its dynamics. Different protocols and currently functional single-cell databases were also covered. This review highlights different tools for the analysis of scRNA-seq and their methodologies, emphasizing innovative techniques that enhance resolution and accuracy at a single-cell level. Various applications were explored across domains including drug discovery, tumor microenvironment (TME), biomarker discovery, and microbial profiling, and case studies were discussed to explain the importance of scRNA-seq by uncovering novel and rare cell types and their identification. This review underlines a crucial aspect of scRNA-seq in the advancement of personalized medicine and highlights its potential to understand the complexity of biological systems.
ISSN:2234-0742