Recent advances of single-cell RNA sequencing in toxicology research: Insight into hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity

The advanced single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology enables the measurement of gene expression levels and identification of cell-specific markers in individual cells, and the revealing of cell types, providing valuable insights into cell behavior. ScRNA-seq has emerged as an effective method for detecting rare cell populations, cellular heterogeneity, and cell-to-cell crosstalk under physiology and pathology conditions, thereby advancing the revolution of toxicology research. In this review, we first briefly introduce the concept of hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, along with their underlying mechanisms. We then summarize the single-cell sequencing technology, with an emphasis on single-cell isolation techniques, particularly for the most used droplet-based methods. Finally, we review the recent advances in the application of single-cell RNA sequencing in studying hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive understanding of the recent advances in hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity studies at a single-cell resolution.