Nanoscale reaction chambers and methods of using the same

A method for generating released nucleic acid molecules, the method comprising:

• (a) providing or obtaining a plurality of nanovials, each nanovial of the plurality of nanovials comprising a cavity having an opening to a surface of the nanovial;
• (b) combining a plurality of cells with the plurality of nanovials such that each nanovial of at least a subset of the plurality of nanovials is loaded with at least one cell of the plurality of cells into the cavity of the nanovial to generate a plurality of loaded nanovials;
• (c) combining a plurality of blocking particles with the plurality of loaded nanovials such that a blocking particle of the plurality of blocking particles interacts with the opening of a loaded nanovial of the plurality of loaded nanovials such that a size of the opening of the loaded nanovial is blocked or reduced, thereby generating a blocked or reduced nanovial;
• and
• (d) releasing nucleic acid molecules from the at least one cell loaded within the cavity of the blocked or reduced nanovial, thereby generating the released nucleic acid molecules.