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Spatial Profiling of Protein and RNA Expression in Tissue: An Approach to Fine-Tune Virtual Microdissection
Published on: July 6, 2022
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The expanding vistas of spatial transcriptomics.
Luyi Tian1, Fei Chen2,3, Evan Z Macosko4,5
1Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Nature Biotechnology
|October 3, 2022
Summary
Spatial transcriptomics technologies now allow for in situ measurement of gene expression in tissues, revolutionizing our understanding of tissue architecture and cell interactions. These advances bridge genomics and tissue biology for new discoveries.
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Tissue integrity relies on complex gene expression patterns.
- Previous methods limited gene expression quantification in tissues.
- Advances in sequencing and microscopy are enabling new approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the development and impact of spatial transcriptomics technologies.
- To highlight the capabilities of these technologies for in situ gene expression analysis.
- To discuss the future potential of spatial genomics in biological discovery.
Main Methods:
- Development of spatial transcriptomics technologies.
- Utilizing DNA sequencing, oligonucleotide synthesis, and fluorescence microscopy.
- In situ measurement of gene expression at the tissue level.
Main Results:
- Spatial transcriptomics enables measurement of many or all genes in situ.
- These technologies determine tissue cell-type architecture.
- They facilitate querying cell-cell and molecular interactions within tissues.
Conclusions:
- Spatial transcriptomics has rapidly evolved in sensitivity and throughput.
- The field is poised to enable high-throughput genomic measurements in tissues.
- These advances will empower hypothesis generation and bridge tissue biology with genomics.
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