Insights into the maternal-fetal interface from spatial multi-omics

Area of Science:

• Reproductive biology
• Genomics
• Biochemistry

Background:

• The placenta, a complex maternal-fetal interface, is increasingly viewed as a multicellular ecosystem.
• Spatial organization of placental compartments is crucial for normal development and function.
• Placental disorders may arise from dysregulated spatial microenvironments rather than intrinsic trophoblast issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent spatial multiomic studies of the maternal-fetal interface.
• To discuss how spatial approaches are advancing the understanding of placental diseases.
• To frame placental disorders within a spatial microenvironmental context.

Main Methods:

• Spatial transcriptomics
• Spatial proteomics
• Spatial metabolomics
• Multimodal data integration

Main Results:

• The placenta exhibits spatially coordinated microenvironments regulating key functions.
• Preeclampsia (PE) and placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) represent distinct spatial ecosystem states.
• Localized microenvironmental dysregulation is implicated in placental disorders.

Conclusions:

• Spatial multiomic approaches are revolutionizing the study of the maternal-fetal interface.
• Understanding placental function and disease requires a spatial microenvironmental framework.
• Future research should leverage spatial technologies to unravel placental pathologies.