This paper describes the creation of SmC-seq, a groundbreaking microfluidic-based technology designed to map DNA methylation across tissue sections while maintaining spatial orientation. By applying this method to mouse embryos during the post-implantation stage, researchers successfully identified how epigenetic patterns shift within specific anatomical regions. The study reveals a distinct spatial heterogeneity in DNA methylation between maternal and embryonic tissues, highlighting a unique low-methylation state in certain maternal cells that support nutrient provision. These findings demonstrate that SmC-seq can pinpoint cell-type-specific markers and regulatory regions that were previously obscured by traditional sequencing. Ultimately, the research provides a new framework for understanding the structural organization and developmental dynamics of mammalian life at near single-cell resolution.

References:

• Shan X, Tang Y, Hu J, et al. Spatial 5mC-seq profiling of embryos and decidua after implantation in mammals[J]. Nature Methods, 2026: 1-11.

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