CosMx Spatial Molecular Imaging

A diagram shows a step-by-step workflow for the CosMx Spatial Molecular Imaging instrument using FFPE tissue on standard slides.

At the top, a horizontal sequence labelled ‘Start’, ‘Step 1’, ‘Step 2’, and ‘Step 3’ illustrates sample preparation:

• At ‘Start’, a FFPE tissue section is placed on a standard microscope slide.
• In ‘Step 1’, the tissue is permeabilised and fixed to retrieve targets.
• In ‘Step 2’, RNA-specific probes and antibodies bind to their targets through hybridisation.
• In ‘Step 3’, the sample is assembled into a flow cell and loaded into the CosMx imaging instrument.

Below, a second sequence shows repeated cycles of detection and imaging:

• In the first cycle, a set of fluorescent reporters binds to targets in the tissue and is imaged.
• The fluorescent dyes are then removed using UV cleavage and washing.
• This process is repeated for additional reporter sets, each time binding, imaging, and removing signals.
• Multiple cycles allow many different RNA targets to be measured within the same tissue section.

Source: Bruker Spatial Biology