ArticleGenetics2026
Should we build single-cell lineage trees from gene expression data?
Article in Genetics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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2 authors.
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Abstract
Gene expression data have been proposed as a natural single-cell lineage marker. Here, we critically examine the feasibility of reconstructing lineage trees from single-cell transcriptomic data using both modeling and empirical data. We first introduce a notion of neutrality for transcriptomic data, and then, under a model for neutral gene expression, establish theoretical bounds for accurate lineage tree reconstruction. Our findings indicate that reconstruction guarantees for even small trees or sub-trees require thousands of independent, neutral traits-a condition that is likely rarely met in practice due to the dominance of non-neutral developmental signals. Furthermore, errors introduced by measurement sampling have the potential to destroy any existing lineage signal. We conclude that gene expression data have limited potential as a natural lineage recorder and should not be used for phylogenetic lineage tree inference without further, rigorous validation.
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