RNA-Seq following PCR-based sorting reveals rare cell transcriptional signatures.

Background Rare cell subtypes can profoundly impact the course of human health and disease, yet their presence within a sample is often missed with bulk molecular analysis. Single-cell analysis tools such as FACS, FISH-FC and single-cell barcode-based sequencing can investigate cellular heterogeneity; however, they have significant limitations that impede their ability to identify and transcriptionally characterize many rare cell subpopulations.