Single-cell immunology: Past, present, and future

Immunity. 2022 Mar 8;55(3):393-404. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2022.02.006.

Abstract

The immune system is a complex, dynamic, and plastic ecosystem composed of multiple cell types that constantly sense and interact with their local microenvironment to protect from infection and maintain homeostasis. For over a century, great efforts and ingenuity have been applied to the characterization of immune cells and their microenvironments, but traditional marker-based and bulk technologies left key questions unanswered. In the past decade, the advent of single-cell genomic approaches has revolutionized our knowledge of the cellular and molecular makeup of the immune system. In this perspective, we outline the past, present, and future applications of single-cell genomics in immunology and discuss how the integration of multiomics at the single-cell level will pave the way for future advances in immunology research and clinical translation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Ecosystem*
  • Genomics
  • Immune System
  • Single-Cell Analysis*