title: Disentangling neural cell diversity using single-cell transcriptomics.
abstract: Cellular specialization is particularly prominent in mammalian nervous systems, which are composed of millions to billions of neurons that appear in thousands of different 'flavors' and contribute to a variety of functions. Even in a single brain region, individual neurons differ greatly in their morphology, connectivity and electrophysiological properties. Systematic classification of all mammalian neurons is a key goal towards deconstructing the nervous system into its basic components. With the recent advances in single-cell gene expression profiling technologies, it is now possible to undertake the enormous task of disentangling neuronal heterogeneity. High-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing and multiplexed quantitative RT-PCR have become more accessible, and these technologies enable systematic categorization of individual neurons into groups with similar molecular properties. Here we provide a conceptual and practical guide to classification of neural cell types using single-cell gene expression profiling technologies.
authors: Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors: Jean-Francois
authors: 0000-0002-1039-4985
authors: JF
authors: Poulin
authors: Department of Molecular Genetics, Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors: Bosiljka
authors: 0000-0002-6861-4506
authors: B
authors: Tasic
authors: Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Jens
authors: 0000-0002-4539-1776
authors: J
authors: Hjerling-Leffler
authors: Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
authors: Jeffrey M
authors: JM
authors: Trimarchi
authors: Department of Neurology, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors: Rajeshwar
authors: R
authors: Awatramani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000502:physiology*