Laser capture microdissection for biomedical research: towards high-throughput, multi-omics, and single-cell resolution

Spatial omics technologies have become powerful methods to provide valuable insights into cells and tissues within a complex context, significantly enhancing our understanding of the intricate and multifaceted biological system. With an increasing focus on spatial heterogeneity, there is a growing need for unbiased, spatially resolved omics technologies. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is a cutting-edge method for acquiring spatial information that can quickly collect regions of interest (ROIs) from heterogeneous tissues, with resolutions ranging from single cells to cell populations. Thus, LCM has been widely used for studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of diseases. This review focuses on the differ-ences among four types of commonly used LCM technologies and their applications in omics and disease research. Key attributes of application cases are also highlighted, such as throughput and spatial resolution. In addition, we comprehensively discuss the existing challenges and the great potential of LCM in biomedical research, disease diagnosis, and targeted therapy from the perspective of high-throughput, multi-omics, and single-cell resolution. Copyright (c) 2023, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Genetics Society of China. Published by Elsevier Limited and Science Press. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Spatial omics technologies provide valuable insights into cells and tissues within a complex context, enhancing our understanding of complex biological systems. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) is an advanced method that quickly collects regions of interest (ROIs) from heterogeneous tissues, and is widely used for studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of diseases.