Yksittäisolusekvensointia

Yksittäisolusekvensointia, often abbreviated as scDNA-seq, is a molecular biology technique used to determine the genetic makeup of individual cells. This method allows researchers to analyze the DNA or RNA of a single cell, providing a high level of resolution that is not possible with traditional bulk sequencing methods. Bulk sequencing analyzes the genetic material from a large population of cells, averaging out the variations between individual cells. In contrast, scDNA-seq captures the unique genetic information present in each cell.

The process typically involves isolating individual cells, often through microfluidics or fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Once isolated, the genetic material within each cell is amplified and then sequenced. The resulting data can reveal genetic variations, such as mutations or gene expression patterns, that may be specific to certain cell types or even individual cells within a heterogeneous population. This is particularly valuable in fields like cancer research, where understanding the genetic diversity within a tumor can inform treatment strategies. It is also applied in developmental biology to trace cell lineages and in immunology to study immune cell responses.

The analysis of scDNA-seq data is computationally intensive due to the large volume of single-cell data generated. However, the insights gained from this technique are significant, enabling a deeper understanding of biological processes at the cellular level.