Spatial biology – unravelling complexity within the glioblastoma microenvironment
Stephen Robinson, Chrysa Filippopoulou, Simoni Besta, Mark Samuels, Andrea Lauer Betrán, Maha Abu Ajamieh, Viviana Vella, William Jones, Georgios Giamas
Abstract
The advent and refinement of state-of-the-art spatial biology technologies have facilitated analysis that combines the advantages of high-throughput single cell analysis with techniques that preserve tissue architecture. This combination of cellular phenotyping with retained spatial context provides a much greater understanding of cellular interactions within the tumour microenvironment (TME). For glioblastoma, with its significant intra-tumoural heterogeneity, cellular plasticity, and complex TME, appreciating and understanding these spatial patterns may prove key to improving patient outcomes. This review examines the advances in spatial biology techniques, discusses how these methodologies are being applied to study glioblastoma, and explores how spatial information improves understanding of the TME. Ultimately, it is this spatial context that will accelerate the identification of more effective treatments for glioblastoma.