title: Epigenetics reloaded: the single-cell revolution.
abstract: Mechanistically, how epigenetic states are inherited through cellular divisions remains an important open question in the chromatin field and beyond. Defining the heritability of epigenetic states and the underlying chromatin-based mechanisms within a population of cells is complicated due to cell heterogeneity combined with varying levels of stability of these states; thus, efforts must be focused toward single-cell analyses. The approaches presented here constitute the forefront of epigenetics research at the single-cell level using classic and innovative methods to dissect epigenetics mechanisms from the limited material available in a single cell. This review further outlines exciting future avenues of research to address the significance of epigenetic heterogeneity and the contributions of microfluidics technologies to single-cell isolation and analysis.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS UMR 7104/Inserm U964/Université de Strasbourg, 67400 Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: Poonam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bheda
authors.affiliation: Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS UMR 7104/Inserm U964/Université de Strasbourg, 67400 Illkirch, France. Electronic address: schneidr@igbmc.fr.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D057890:Epigenomics / Q000379:methods*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D044085:Microfluidics; D009707:Nucleosomes; D059010:Single-Cell Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D009707:Nucleosomes
keywords: epigenetics; epigenomics; live cell; microfluidics; single cell