title: Single cell expression quantitative trait loci and complex traits.
abstract: The recently developed ability to quantify mRNA abundance and noise in single cells has allowed the effect of heritable variations on gene function to be re-evaluated. A recent study has shown that major sources of variation are masked when gene expression is averaged over many cells. Heritable variations that determine single-cell expression phenotypes may exert a regulatory function in specific cellular processes underlying disease. Masked effects on gene expression should therefore be modeled, not ignored.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council (MRC) Clinical Sciences Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Petretto