The burgeoning field of single-cell transcriptomics augments our ability to scrutinize organ systems at unprecedented resolutions. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and analytical techniques have shed light on the cellular heterogeneity, developmental trajectories, intercellular communications of the cardiac system, and thus contributed much to the understanding of cardiac development, homeostasis and disorders. Although generalized protocols are well established for scRNA-seq pipelines, customized sample preparation, quality control, and data interpretation are still needed in cardiac research. In this article, we highlight major steps that impact data quality in scRNA-seq experiments, with particular focus on sample and data processing of cardiomyocytes. We also summarize popular applications of scRNA-seq, outlining general tools, caveats and examples in cardiac research.

单细胞转录组学的新兴领域增强了我们以前所未有的分辨率检查器官系统的能力。单细胞 RNA 测序 (scRNA-seq) 和分析技术揭示了心脏系统的细胞异质性、发育轨迹、细胞间通讯，从而对理解心脏发育、体内平衡和疾病做出了很大贡献。尽管 scRNA-seq 管道的通用协议已经很好地建立，但在心脏研究中仍然需要定制的样品制备、质量控制和数据解释。在本文中，我们重点介绍了影响scRNA-seq 中数据质量的主要步骤实验，特别关注心肌细胞的样本和数据处理。我们还总结了 scRNA-seq 的流行应用，概述了心脏研究中的通用工具、注意事项和示例。