Functional division of Spodoptera exigua hemocytes in immunity by single cell RNA sequencing

The primary goal of this study was to comprehensively characterize the cellular diversity and functional specialization of hemocytes in the lepidopteran insect Spodoptera exigua using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). By profiling transcriptomes of individual hemocytes from naive and immune-challenged larvae, we aimed to redefine hemocyte classification beyond traditional morphology-based categories and uncover novel subpopulations with distinct immune roles. Specifically, we sought to identify reliable molecular markers for both classical and newly discovered hemocyte types, validate them through fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and map their differentiation trajectories using pseudotime analysis