Unraveling the Heterogeneity and Ontogeny of Dendritic Cells Using Single-Cell RNA Sequencing

Abstract

Dendritic cells (DCs) play essential roles in innate and adaptive immunity and show high heterogeneity and intricate ontogeny. Advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies, particularly single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), have improved the understanding of DC subsets. In this review, we discuss in detail the remarkable perspectives in DC reclassification and ontogeny as revealed by scRNA-seq. Moreover, the heterogeneity and multifunction of DCs during diseases as determined by scRNA-seq are described. Finally, we provide insights into the challenges and future trends in scRNA-seq technologies and DC research.

Keywords: cellular heterogeneity; dendritic cells; single-cell RNA sequencing; the ontogeny of dendritic cells; tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells.