Intercellular Language Decoder Developed

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine have developed a new tool to help decipher intercellular communications. In a paper published today in Nature Communications, the researchers introduce CellChat, a computational platform that enables the decoding of signaling molecules that transmit information and commands between cells.

"To properly understand why cells do certain things, and to predict their future actions, we need to be able to listen to what they are saying to one another; mathematical and machine learning tools enable the translation of such messages," said co-senior author Qing Nie.

To use CellChat to translate molecular messages between cells, researchers feed in a single-cell gene expression, and out comes a detailed report on signaling communication features of a given tissue or organ.

"For each distinct group of cells, CellChat shows what significant signals are being sent to their neighbors and what signals they have the ability to receive," co-senior author Maksim Plikus explained. "As an interpreter of cellular language, CellChat provides scientists with a valuable insight into signaling patterns that guide function of the entire organ."

In addition, because cells produce modifier molecules to add emphasis to a certain command, transforming "do this" to "do this now," CellChat is able to automatically calibrate the strength of signaling communication between cells by considering all significantly present modifier molecules. As a result, its translation becomes more nuanced and helps to minimize inaccuracies that plague other similar yet less sophisticated computational tools.