A probabilistic cell segmentation method for spatial transcriptomics data from platforms like Xenium, CosMx, MERSCOPE, and Visium HD.
Proseg is a probabilistic cell segmentation method for spatial transcriptomics. It refines cell boundaries by analyzing the spatial distribution of RNA transcripts, which helps correctly assign transcripts to their cells of origin. This addresses a key challenge in spatial biology where inaccurate segmentation can lead to misleading biological conclusions.
Bioinformaticians, computational biologists, and researchers working with spatial transcriptomics data from platforms like Xenium, CosMx, MERSCOPE, or Visium HD who need to improve cell segmentation accuracy.
Developers choose Proseg because it provides a statistically rigorous, probabilistic approach to segmentation that reduces transcript misassignment. Its flexibility across multiple platforms and ability to integrate with existing workflows (like Cellpose or Xenium Explorer) make it a versatile tool for spatial data analysis.
Probabilistic cell segmentation for in situ spatial transcriptomics
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Uses sampling-based models to assign transcripts with probabilities and provide uncertainty estimates, directly reducing misassignment and spurious co-expression as highlighted in the model arguments.
Supports major spatial transcriptomics platforms like Xenium, CosMx, MERSCOPE, and Visium HD through preset command-line arguments, simplifying data handling across different technologies.
Models cells across multiple z-layers with the --voxel-layers argument, enabling accurate segmentation for three-dimensional spatial data without additional tools.
Generates outputs in spatialdata zarr, GeoJSON, and matrix formats, facilitating seamless integration with analysis pipelines and tools like Xenium Explorer via the proseg-to-baysor command.
As a sampling method, outputs vary slightly between runs, which can introduce reproducibility challenges in sensitive downstream analyses, as noted in the usage section.
The README warns that Proseg can crash or slow down due to memory issues, requiring adjustments like increasing voxel size or disabling diffusion, which may compromise accuracy.
Cannot introduce new cells; it only refines existing boundaries, so errors from poor prior segmentation persist, limiting its effectiveness in datasets with missed cells.