Single-cell transcriptomics: a new research technique for precision medicine in nephrology.

Due to the complex structure and function of the kidneys, the mechanism of kidney disease remains unclear. In particular, the present transcriptomics approaches at the bulk level are unable to differentiate the primary autonomous responses, which lead to disease development, from the secondary cell non-autonomous responses. Single-cell analysis techniques can overcome the fundamental limitations inherent in the measurement of heterogeneous cell populations and clarify the central issues regarding kidney biology and disease pathogenesis. Therefore, the application of single-cell sequencing helps in identifying the biomarkers and pathways related to the disease, stratifying patients, and setting appropriate treatment methods for each individual. This article covers various single-cell analysis techniques and single-cell transcriptomics studies performed in the field of nephrology. Moreover, we discuss the future of precision medicine in nephrology using single-cell analysis.