65 2 Journal of Molecular LYM Cheung and K Rizzoti Single cell technologies in 65:2 R35–R51 Endocrinology endocrine systems REVIEW Cell population characterization and discovery using single-cell technologies in endocrine systems Leonard Y M Cheung 1 and Karine Rizzoti 2 1Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA 2Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK Correspondence should be addressed to K Rizzoti:
[email protected] Abstract In the last 15 years, single-cell technologies have become robust and indispensable Key Words tools to investigate cell heterogeneity. Beyond transcriptomic, genomic and epigenome f technology analyses, technologies are constantly evolving, in particular toward multi-omics, where f single cell analyses of different source materials from a single cell are combined, and spatial f microfluidics transcriptomics, where resolution of cellular heterogeneity can be detected in situ. While f multi-omics some of these techniques are still being optimized, single-cell RNAseq has commonly f transcriptome been used because the examination of transcriptomes allows characterization of f endocrine organs cell identity and, therefore, unravel previously uncharacterized diversity within cell populations. Most endocrine organs have now been investigated using this technique, and this has given new insights into organ embryonic development, characterization of rare cell types, and disease mechanisms. Here, we highlight recent studies, particularly on the hypothalamus and pituitary, and examine recent findings on the pancreas and Journal of Molecular reproductive organs where many single-cell experiments have been performed. Endocrinology (2020) 65, R35–R51 Introduction Single-cell technologies have become an essential soon be analyzed at the single-cell level (Palii et al.