The Chao lab wrote a review "Following the Birth, Life, and Death of mRNAs in Single Cells" published in Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology, in which they discuss single-molecule techniques to follow the life cycle of an mRNA and the possibilty to apply these tools to multicellular systems.
Abstract
Recent advances in single-molecule imaging of mRNAs in fixed and living cells have enabled the lives of mRNAs to be studied with unprecedented spatial and temporal detail. These approaches have moved beyond simply being able to observe specific events and have begun to allow an understanding of how regulation is coupled between steps in the mRNA life cycle. Additionally, these methodologies are now being applied in multicellular systems and animals to provide more nuanced insights into the physiological regulation of RNA metabolism.
Read the Review in Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology (Open Access)
Abstract, figure and title from Eichenberger, Griesbach, Mitchell and Chao (2023) Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol published under a CC BY 4.0 license.