A reference cell tree will serve science better than a reference cell atlas.
Cell
; 186(6): 1103-1114, 2023 03 16.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36931241
ABSTRACT
Single-cell biology is facing a crisis of sorts. Vast numbers of single-cell molecular profiles are being generated, clustered and annotated. However, this is overwhelmingly ad hoc, and we continue to lack a principled, unified, and well-moored system for defining, naming, and organizing cell types. In this perspective, we argue against an atlas or periodic table-like discretization as the right metaphor for a reference taxonomy of cell types. In its place, we advocate for a data-driven, tree-based nomenclature that is rooted in a "consensus ontogeny" spanning the life cycle of a given species. We explore how such a reference cell tree, inclusive of both lineage histories and molecular states, could be constructed, represented, and segmented in practice. Analogous to the taxonomic classification of species, a consensus ontogeny would provide a universal, stable, and extendable framework for precise scientific communication, both contemporaneously and across the ages.
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MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Citología
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En
Revista:
Cell
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article