"Molecular Tomographer" algorithm maps gene expression in space

Scientists have developed an algorithm that can work out the spatial pattern of gene expression inside the body without the need for microscopes and complicated equipment used currently. As we accumulate more and more gene-sequencing information, cell-type databases are growing in both size and complexity. There is a need to understand where different types of cells are located in the body, and to map their gene expression patterns into specific locations in tissues and organs. For example, a gene can be actively expressed in one cell while suppressed in another. One way of mapping genes into tissues is a technique called in situ hybridization. Simply put, a target gene is tagged ("hybridized") with a fluorescent marker within the sections of the tissue it is located in (the "in situ" part). The sections are then visualized under a specialized microscope to see where the gene "lights up". Consecutive photographs of each section are then put together to generate a "spatial" map of the gene's location inside the tissue. The problem with methods that use in situ hybridization is that, as the number of target genes grows, they start to become complicated, require specialized equipment, and force scientists to select their targets beforehand, a process that can be laborious if the goal is to reconstruct a full map of gene distribution across tissues. " Spatializing " sequencing data