High-Throughput Spatial Omics
Cutting-edge Technology Platforms to Achieve Precision Medicine
Spatial Omics Services
Spatial transcriptomics (ST) is a groundbreaking molecular profiling method that allows scientists to measure all the gene activity in a tissue sample and map where the activity is occurring. ST experiment starts with a tissue section frozen that preserves the spatial architecture. GeoMx (from Nanostring) and Visium (from 10x Genomics) are the most widely used in ST and recent commercial platforms such as CosMx (Nanostring) and Xenium (10X Genomics) provide expression at a single-cell level. ASOC has all four platforms in-house and can provide quality services in ST.
Why Work with Us
Expertise
- Specialized team dedicated to support
- Transparency and open communication
- End-to-end service
Adaptability
- Diverse services for all tech needs
- Customizable options and rates
- Open to faculty and external clients
Affordability
- Services at cost (non-profit)
- Centralization ensures top-tier equipment access
Service Workflow
Project initiation and experimental design
- Project review
- Platform and service overview
- Sample discussion
- ROI selection strategy
- Timeline & costs
Quality control and histology service
- Histology instruction and consultation
- Optimizing immunofluorescence morphology markers
- Tissue process, if required
Spatial biology platform run and high-throughput sequencing
- Slide preparation
- Platform operation
- Readouts
- Post-staining
Bioinformatics data analysis and visualization
- QC and raw data preprocessing
- Expression normalization
- Deconvolution/enrichment test
- Support visualization
- Data export and backup
Design Considerations for Spatial Omics Experiments
The contents in this section were adopted from Williams et al. (PMID: 35761361) and please read the paper for more information.
What is my experimental aim?
A. Hypothesis generating?
B. Hypothesis testing?
(See below for more information)
Can I use spatial transcriptomics?
I. Does my tissue need optimization?
II. Is there enough RNA in the sample?
III. Are my targets detectable?
IV. Are large numbers of replicates needed?
A. Hypothesis Generating | B. Hypothesis Testing | |
Target | Many genes | Few genes |
Resolution | Bulk RNA-seq or 2-1000 cells | Single-cell |
Area | Large | Small |
Comment | Available for Xenografts | Determine cell types with specific markers |
Platforms | GeoMx DSP or Visium Spatial/HD | CosMx or Xenium In Situ |
Nanostring
GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP): the most flexible and robust spatial multi-omic platform for analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) and fresh frozen (FF) tissue sections. GeoMx is the only spatial biology platform that non-destructively profiles the expression of RNA and protein from distinct tissue compartments and cell populations with an automated and scalable workflow that integrates with standard histology staining. It uses fluorescent imaging reagents to visualize tissue and oligo-tagged reagents for expression analysis. After selecting regions of interest (ROI), DNA oligos are released, and collected in a 96-well plate. Expressions levels are readout using Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) or nCounter and analyzed using the DSP interactive software.
Spatial Organ Atlas: a publically available resource for defining the molecular anatomy of tissues. Using a whole transcriptome approach to generate spatially resolved organ maps the Spatial Organ Atlas presents morphology-driven data at the molecular level within the context of each organ-specific substructure.
CosMx Spatial Molecular Imager (SMI): the first high-plex in situ analysis platform to provide spatial multiomics with FFPE and FF tissue samples at cellular and subcellular resolution. CosMx SMI enables rapid quantification and visualization of up to 1,000 RNA and 64 validated protein analytes. It is the flexible, spatial single-cell imaging platform that will drive deeper insights for cell atlasing, tissue phenotyping, cell-cell interactions, cellular processes, and biomarker discovery.
What is the difference between GeoMx and CosMx?
GeoMx can be used to investigate up to the whole transcriptome of 18,000+ targets and >100 antibodies on the same slide. CosMx resolves RNA and protein expression at single molecule, subcellular resolution in situ.
Slide scan image via GeoMx: user-defined ROIs (region of interest) based on the morphology markers for a kidney tissue
Image generated by CosMx: segmentation at the single-cell level on top of the morphology markers
10X Genomics
Xenium In Situ: it enables high-throughput subcellular mapping of 100s of RNA targets, revealing new insights into cellular structure and function. Tissue sections are placed on Xenium slides and treated to access RNA for labeling with circularizable DNA probes. Probe ligation generates a circular DNA specific to target transcripts followed by enzymatic amplification to create a target for fluorescent probe hybridization. The slide is then put into the Xenium Analyzer, where it undergoes rounds of fluorescent probe hybridization, imaging, and removal. This generates an optical signature that reveals the identity of the RNA at a location within each cell of a tissue.
Xenium panels are carefully designed and curated, incorporating a data-driven approach that combines expert input with years of single-cell experience. Customization is fast and easy, letting you add to existing panels or order your own standalone panels specifically tailored to power your research.
- Human Breast, Brain, Lung, and Multi-Tissue/Cancer Gene Expression Panel
- Mouse Brain Gene Expression Panel and Xenium Mouse Tissue Atlassing Panel
Visium Spatial Gene Expression: a next-generation molecular profiling solution for classifying tissue based on total mRNA. Map the whole transcriptome with morphological context in FFPE or fresh frozen tissues to discover novel insights into normal development, disease pathology, and clinical translational research. Visium maps gene expression in complex tissue samples using poly(A) capture and spatial barcoding technology for library preparation. mRNA-binding oligonucleotides bind to capture oligos on tissue sections, and reverse transcription generates a cDNA library with complements of spatial barcodes that preserve spatial information.
Visium CytAssist: a compact, benchtop instrument that enables the transfer of transcriptomic probes from standard glass slides to Visium slides, enabling spatial profiling insights to be gained from even more samples. Compatible with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)- or immunofluorescence (IF)-stained tissue sections, CytAssist allows pre-sectioned tissues to be used for the Visium workflow. You can further maximize your Visium experiments by screening tissue sections using standard histological techniques to find biologically significant sections and then precisely align those sections within the Visium slide Capture Area using CytAssist.
Feature Comparison
Provider | Nanostring | 10X Genomics | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Platform | GeoMx DSP | CosMx SMI | Visium CytAssist | Xenium In Situ |
Sample type | Fresh frozen Fixed frozen FFPE |
Fresh frozen Fixed frozen FFPE |
Fresh frozen Fixed frozen FFPE |
Fresh frozen FFPE |
Species | Human or Mouse | Human or Mouse | Fresh frozen: Diverse FFPE: Human or Mouse |
Human or Mouse |
Analyte | RNA and protein: (a) Whole Transcriptome Atlas (WTA): 18,000 gene, (b) Cancer Transcriptome Atlas (CTA): over 1,800 genes, and (c) 100 proteins in predesigned panels | RNA and protein: (a) Subcellular mapping of 1000s of RNA targets in predesigned panels and (b) Immuno-Oncology High-resolution Spatial Proteomics | RNA and protein | RNA: Subcellular mapping of 100s of RNA targets in predesigned panels |
Area size | 35.5 mm X 14.1 mm | 20 mm X 15 mm |
FF: 6.5 mm x 6.5 mm (4 per slide) |
10.45 mm X 22.45 mm |
Resolution | Regions of interest (ROI) minimum, 5 μm × 5 μm and, at most, a rectangle of 680 μm × 785 μm, minimum 50-100 cells per ROI | Subcellular | 5,000 spots, spot size 55 μm diameter, avg 1-10 cells/spot, 14,000 spots per 11mm capture area - entire section at once | Subcellular |
Visualization | Four-color fluorescence | Four-color fluorescence | H&E or immunofluorescence | H&E (post Xenium processing) |
Readout | NGS or nCounter | No need | NGS | No need |