Insights into Leukemia from Single-Cell Genomics

Abstract

Despite its relatively recent emergence, single-cell sequencing has cemented its place in scientific research. It has grown exponentially in less than two decades since its start, with broad impact in the biological sciences. The blood represents an attractive system for early development and application of single-cell technologies. As a result, single-cell analyses in blood and leukemia have led the way in describing how cellular heterogeneity affects cancer progression. In this review, we discuss the technological and conceptual advances brought by single-cell genomics, ranging from genetic evolution and differentiation states that mediate drug resistance to the complex interactions required for immunotherapy responses. These high-resolution insights are starting to enter clinical assessment.