sc-RNA seq of multi-nuclei cells?

[namhuynhnc]

I do 10x sc-RNA seq of monocyte and differentiated into osteoclast. The results can separate clearly monocyte, precursor, pre-osteoclast, osteoclast clusters. But I also see that the more osteoclastic, the more UMI/ cell (nCount/cell). Can UMI (nCount) be used to somehow estimate the number of the nucleus in osteoclast (by normalizing with the UMI/cell in monocyte which we know just 1 nucleus? Data was is in 1 run.

[andrewwbutler]

This is not really a Seurat specific question but I'll give my initial thoughts (caveat, I know very little about osteoclasts). Here are a couple things to consider.

• Can you assume that the RNA content of a monocyte is roughly equivalent to the RNA content of a single nucleus in an osteoclast?
• If you plot the number of UMI/cell for your osteoclast cells in something like a histogram, do you see discrete groupings that would correspond to different numbers of nuclei or is it just a smooth continuum?

This might help you decide how to best estimate nuclei number.

[namhuynhnc]

Thank you so much, I tried the histogram and it looks smooth.