19 Mar Cellular transcriptomic vector fields revealed using dropseq microfluidic chips

RNA velocity is a vector that is employed for predicting the future state of the cells. Here, researchers used dropseq microfluidic chips for single-cell RNA sequencing along with RNA velocity and metabolic labelling to introduce a platform called dynamo to predict cell fates. 

Summary

“Single-cell (sc)RNA-seq, together with RNA velocity and metabolic labeling, reveals cellular states and transitions at unprecedented resolution. Fully exploiting these data, however, requires kinetic models capable of unveiling governing regulatory functions. Here, we introduce an analytical framework dynamo (https://github.com/aristoteleo/dynamo-release), which infers absolute RNA velocity, reconstructs continuous vector fields that predict cell fates, employs differential geometry to extract underlying regulations, and ultimately predicts optimal reprogramming paths and perturbation outcomes. We highlight dynamo’s power to overcome fundamental limitations of conventional splicing-based RNA velocity analyses to enable accurate velocity estimations on a metabolically labeled human hematopoiesis scRNA-seq dataset. Furthermore, differential geometry analyses reveal mechanisms driving early megakaryocyte appearance and elucidate asymmetrical regulation within the PU.1-GATA1 circuit. Leveraging the least-action-path method, dynamo accurately predicts drivers of numerous hematopoietic transitions. Finally, in silico perturbations predict cell-fate diversions induced by gene perturbations. Dynamo, thus, represents an important step in advancing quantitative and predictive theories of cell-state transitions.”

Reproduced under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License from Qiu, X., Zhang. Y.,  et al. Mapping transcriptomic vector fields of single cells. Cell 185, 690-711 (2022).

Figures and the abstract are reproduced from Qiu, X., Zhang. Y.,  et al. Mapping transcriptomic vector fields of single cells. Cell 185, 690-711 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.12.045 under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Read the original article: Mapping transcriptomic vector fields of single cells