ReviewSignal Transduction at the Single-Cell Level: Approaches to Study the Dynamic Nature of Signaling Networks

•Signal transduction, or how cells interpret and react to external events, is a fundamental aspect of cellular function.•Traditional study of signal transduction pathways involves mapping cellular signaling pathways at the population level.•However, population-averaged readouts do not adequately illuminate the complex dynamics and heterogeneous responses found at the single-cell level.•Recent technological advances to observe cellular response, computationally model signaling pathways, and experimentally manipulate cells now enable studying signal transduction at the single-cell level.•These studies will enable deeper insights into the dynamic nature of signaling networks.

Signal transduction, or how cells interpret and react to external events, is a fundamental aspect of cellular function. Traditional study of signal transduction pathways involves mapping cellular signaling pathways at the population level. However, population-averaged readouts do not adequately illuminate the complex dynamics and heterogeneous responses found at the single-cell level. Recent technological advances that observe cellular response, computationally model signaling pathways, and experimentally manipulate cells now enable studying signal transduction at the single-cell level. These studies will enable deeper insights into the dynamic nature of signaling networks.

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