The Human Cell Atlas: making ‘cell space’ for disease
A single change in DNA, RNA, proteins or cellular images can be useful as a biomarker of disease onset or progression. With high-throughput molecular phenotyping of single cells, it is now conceivable that the molecular changes occurring across thousands, or tens of thousands, of individual cells co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Company of Biologists
2019-02-01
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| Series: | Disease Models & Mechanisms |
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| Online Access: | http://dmm.biologists.org/content/12/2/dmm037622 |
| Summary: | A single change in DNA, RNA, proteins or cellular images can be useful as a biomarker of disease onset or progression. With high-throughput molecular phenotyping of single cells, it is now conceivable that the molecular changes occurring across thousands, or tens of thousands, of individual cells could additionally be considered as a disease biomarker. Transition to a disease state would then be reflected by the shifts in cell numbers and locations across a multidimensional space that is defined by the molecular content of cells. Realising this ambition requires a robust formulation of such a multidimensional ‘cell space’. This is one of the goals of the recently launched Human Cell Atlas project. A second goal is to populate this ‘cell space’ with all cell types in the human body. Here, I consider the potential of the Human Cell Atlas project for improving our description and understanding of the cell-type specificity of disease. |
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| ISSN: | 1754-8403 1754-8411 |