Applications and analytical tools of cell communication based on ligand-receptor interactions at single cell level

Abstract

Background: Cellular communication is an essential feature of multicellular organisms. Binding of ligands to their homologous receptors, which activate specific cell signaling pathways, is a basic type of cellular communication and intimately linked to many degeneration processes leading to diseases.

Main body: This study reviewed the history of ligand-receptor and presents the databases which store ligand-receptor pairs. The recently applications and research tools of ligand-receptor interactions for cell communication at single cell level by using single cell RNA sequencing have been sorted out.

Conclusion: The summary of the advantages and disadvantages of analysis tools will greatly help researchers analyze cell communication at the single cell level. Learning cell communication based on ligand-receptor interactions by single cell RNA sequencing gives way to developing new target drugs and personalizing treatment.

Keywords: Cell communication; Ligand-receptor interactions; Single cell RNA sequencing; Target therapy; Tumor microenvironment.

Fig. 1

General procedures of ligand-receptor studies using scRNA-seq techniques. multicellular samples were isolated and captured individual cells. All RNA from each cell was reverse transcribed, amplified and sequenced to obtain transcriptome data for each cell in the sample. Cell types were identified. Then, ligand-receptor interaction could analysis by multiple analysis tools

Fig. 2

Current applications of scRNA sequencing in ligand-receptor analysis. The analysis of ligand-receptor interactions using scRNA sequencing can be applicate to elucidate in-depth mechanisms underlying disease research, pathogenic infection, physiological process, pharmacological research