Single-cell omics: moving towards a new era in ischemic stroke research

Abstract

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a highly complex and heterogeneous disease involving multiple pathophysiological events. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of IS will enhance preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Despite significant advances in modern medicine, the molecular mechanisms of IS are still largely unknown. The high-throughput omics approach opens new avenues for identifying IS biomarkers and elucidating disease pathogenesis mechanisms. Single-cell omics enables a more thorough and in-depth analysis of the cellular interactions and properties in IS. This will lead to a better understanding of the onset, treatment and prognosis of IS. In this paper, we first reviewed the disease signatures and mechanisms research of IS. Subsequently, the use of single-cell omics to comprehend the mechanisms of IS was discussed, along with some recent developments in the field. To further delineate the upstream pathogenic alterations and downstream molecular impacts of IS, we also discussed the current use of machine learning approaches to single-cell omics data analysis. Particularly, single-cell omics is being used to inform risk assessment, early patient diagnosis and treatment strategies, and their potential impact on precision medicine. Thus, we summarized the role of single-cell omics in precision medicine. Despite the relative youth of the field, the development of single-cell omics promises to provide a powerful tool for elucidating the pathogenesis of IS.