Research Techniques Made Simple: Spatial Transcriptomics

Transcriptome profiling of tissues and single cells facilitates interrogation of gene expression changes within diverse biological contexts. However, spatial information is often lost during tissue homogenization or dissociation. Recent advances in transcriptome profiling preserve the in situ spatial contexts of RNA molecules and together comprise a group of techniques known as spatial transcriptomics (ST), enabling localization of cell types and their associated gene expression within intact tissues. In this paper, we review ST methods; summarize data analysis approaches, including integration with single-cell transcriptomics data; and discuss their applications in dermatologic research. These tools offer a promising avenue toward improving our understanding of niche patterning and cell-cell interactions within heterogeneous tissues that encompass skin homeostasis and disease.