Single-cell genomics

Abstract

The evolution of higher plants depended on the ability of cells to express hereditary information in many different ways and led to the development of specialized cell types, reflecting an elaborate system of control over gene expression in the individual component cells of various tissues. Bulk tissue sampling results in the loss of spatial resolution, and recent efforts have been directed toward improving access to specialized cell types in plants. Access to the contents of individual cells followed by analyses using post-genomic technologies promise to revolutionize our understanding of the differentiation of specialized cell types, and to enable downstream applications aimed at harnessing their unique biochemical properties.