Notable advancements in single-cell omics technologies have not only addressed longstanding challenges but also enabled unprecedented studies of cellular heterogeneity with unprecedented resolution and scale. These strides have led to groundbreaking insights into complex biological systems, paving the way for a more profound comprehension of human biology and diseases. The droplet microfluidic technology has become a crucial component in many single-cell sequencing workflows in terms of throughput, cost-effectiveness, and automation. Utilizing a microfluidic chip to encapsulate and profile individual cells within droplets has significantly improved single-cell research. Therefore, this review aims to comprehensively elaborate the droplet microfluidics-assisted omics methods from a single-cell perspective. The strategies for using droplet microfluidics in the realms of genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics analyses are first introduced. On this basis, the focus then turns to the latest applications of this technology in different sequencing patterns, including mono- and multi-omics. Finally, the challenges and further perspectives of droplet-based single-cell sequencing in both foundational research and commercial applications are discussed.

中文翻译：

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基于液滴的单细胞测序：策略和应用


单细胞组学技术的显著进步不仅解决了长期存在的挑战，而且以前所未有的分辨率和规模实现了前所未有的细胞异质性研究。这些进步导致了对复杂生物系统的开创性见解，为更深入地理解人类生物学和疾病铺平了道路。液滴微流控技术在通量、成本效益和自动化方面已成为许多单细胞测序工作流程中的关键组成部分。利用微流控芯片封装和分析液滴中的单个细胞，显著改善了单细胞研究。因此，本文旨在从单细胞的角度全面阐述液滴微流控辅助组学方法。首先介绍了在基因组学、表观基因组学、转录组学和蛋白质组学分析领域使用液滴微流体的策略。在此基础上，重点转向该技术在不同测序模式中的最新应用，包括单组学和多组学。最后，讨论了基于液滴的单细胞测序在基础研究和商业应用中的挑战和进一步的前景。