Human Cell Atlas and cell-type authentication for regenerative medicine

Abstract

Regenerative medicine: Precise cell identification will improve future therapies The characterization of cells into more precise groups will improve the chances of selecting the best types of cells to use for regenerative medicine. Traditionally, cell types are defined by physiological and morphological markers and molecular properties. However, sequencing technologies are enabling researchers to classify cells into increasingly distinct subgroups. Wataru Fujibuchi at Kyoto University, Japan, and co-workers reviewed progress in cell-type identification to help guide regenerative medicine. They examined the insights gained from the Human Cell Atlas project, an international collaboration of over 1000 institutes across 71 countries. Participants in this project are sequencing cellular RNA and categorizing hundreds of thousands of individual cells, demonstrating that many assumptions about cells are too simplistic. Such data will inform regenerative therapies, for example, by selecting the “best” platelet-producing stem cells for blood donation.