Single-cell query#

Why this scenario matters#

Not every project begins with a curated cell-state centroid. Sometimes you only trust one interesting cell, especially in a pilot study or a small annotation exercise.

Objective#

This tutorial asks whether one representative cell can still anchor a meaningful local neighborhood.

Interpretation#

The single-cell scenario is helpful because it lowers the barrier to entry. It shows that you do not need a perfect query design before the package becomes informative. You can begin with one cell, inspect the nearest neighbors, and use that result to decide whether a larger centroid-style query is worth building next.

What to look for#

When reading a single-cell query result, focus on:

  • whether the returned cells are consistent with the expected cell type or state

  • whether disease and tissue context remain sensible

  • whether the neighborhood is tight or noisy