Leica Microsystems has announced the release of SpectraPlex, a 3D high-multiplex solution for spatial discoveries on the STELLARIS confocal platform. The company claims that this innovation sets a new benchmark for 3D spatial phenotyping in life science research.
The company says that in recent years, Omics techniques such as Genomics, Transcriptomics, Proteomics, and Metabolomics, have taken a central role in life science research. Understanding the spatiotemporal relationships between various biological components has become crucial for elucidating biological functions in both healthy and diseased states.
“SpectraPlex was developed to enable researchers to obtain more spatially resolved 3D data when interrogating complex disease states, allowing for a deeper analysis of pathological conditions,” said James O´Brien, Vice President of Life Sciences and Applied Solutions at Leica Microsystems. “The data acquired using SpectraPlex can propel the discovery of new cell types, the identification of cell states and the mapping of functional relationships in a 3D spatial context, aiding in the understanding of disease progression and the identification of potential therapeutic targets.”
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With a fully integrated workflow, SpectraPlex enables scientists to capture detailed information at the right resolution and in 3D, with 15+ markers in one go, says Leica. The company says that SpectraPlex also offers an offline option to design experiments and explore optimal dye combinations to create panels for high-multiplex imaging.
Defining a panel triggers real-time calculations, forming the basis for suggested microscope settings to maximise the signal-to-noise ratio and minimise crosstalk. Experienced users can still finetune these settings to accommodate sample-specific variances.
In SpectraPlex, the unmixed data along with the corresponding raw images is automatically generated to facilitate further analysis and interpretation. Users can use tailored segmentation and downstream analysis for accurate interpretation of high-resolution, 3D data for 15+ labels powered by Aivia , Leica Microsystem’s AI image analysis software.