FBS Colloquia No.206RIKEN

Linking cell dynamics and gene expression by integration of live imaging and RNA sequencing

Dynamic behavior of cells such as motility, activation, and cell-cell interaction may be observed using an optical microscope. But understanding molecular mechanisms behind these behaviors and/or cell states which may be investigated by whole gene expression analysis is often limited mainly due to technical difficulties. We have been developing a measurement system based on single-cell picking which enables whole gene expression analysis (RNA-seq) for each cells whose behaviors are observed under an optical microscope. This system is automated for high throughput measurements, and is useful to study the molecular mechanisms behind the dynamic behavior of cells. I will discuss advantages of this system and possible applications.