Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40568931›Full record

ReviewNucleic acids research2025

A comprehensive review of spatial transcriptomics data alignment and integration.

Muiz Khan, Suzan Arslanturk, Sorin Draghici

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Nucleic acids research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
23citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

23 citing papers in PubMed.

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  17. The cribriform plate: A dynamic central nervous system-immune hub.The Journal of experimental medicine · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Muiz KhanDepartment of Computer Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, 48202 Michigan, United States.ORCID 0000-0003-2039-7079
Suzan ArslanturkDepartment of Computer Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, 48202 Michigan, United States.
Sorin DraghiciDepartment of Computer Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, 48202 Michigan, United States.ORCID 0000-0002-0786-8377

Funding

National Science Foundation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Spatial data acquisition technologies enable high-throughput quantification of molecular expression in tissue sections maintaining spatial context information. However, performing downstream analysis on a whole tissue section requires the alignment and integration of multiple tissue slices. This is a nontrivial task due to tissue heterogeneity and plasticity. Although manual solutions exist, they are time-consuming and require technical expertise. Hence, automated and robust alignment and integration of multiple slices within and across datasets, individuals, and experiments becomes essential. This study aims to (i) present a comprehensive review of methodologies for spatial transcriptomics (ST) data alignment and integration, (ii) explain the problem, its scope and challenges, and (iii) propose a general pipeline. We review 24 tools addressing multi-slice ST alignment and integration, and tackling key challenges through downstream validation. Tools focusing solely on single-slice ST analyses or multi-omics integration are excluded. We categorize these approaches by methodology (statistical mapping, image processing and registration, and graph-based) in accordance with the generalized pipeline. We evaluate their strengths, limitations, and real-world applications based on task scope and their potential to advance biological insights. Despite improved spatial resolution and 3D tissue reconstruction, significant challenges persist in achieving robust alignment and integration across heterogeneous tissue slices.

Indexed as

Gene Expression ProfilingImage Processing, Computer-AssistedTranscriptomeAnimalsHumansSoftware

Identifiers

PMID40568931
PMCPMC12199153

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.