The biology of the cell: insights from mass cytometry.

In single-cell biology there is an ongoing push towards more and more comprehensive measurements made in individual cells. By combining measurements of proteins, mRNA, genetic and epigenetic traits, in contexts of cell stimulation or drug treatment, novel single-cell analyses will help understand the determinants of cellular identity, differentiation decisions, and regulatory mechanisms governing cellular function in health and disease. Mass cytometry is a flexible methodology developed towards this aim, allowing analyses of cells in suspension such as blood, but also extended for the analyses of tissue sections. Here I will discuss the different measurements possible by mass cytometry and discuss its potential, but also its limitations now and in the years to come. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.