Physics-inspired computational methods for spatial transcriptomics reveal a dysplasia-restricted premalignant basin and a density-asymmetric autocrine niche in ... (opens in new tab)

Spatial transcriptomics is often interpreted with tools that do not explicitly encode tissue-scale physical priors such as finite ligand diffusion, density-based state stability, or self-exciting spatial recruitment. We introduce three compact computational methods and apply them to a 326,554-cell spatial atlas of human oral mucosal carcinogenesis spanning normal mucosa, hyperplasia, oral lichen planus, and dysplasia. DC3 (Diffusion-Constrained Cell Communication) replaces distance-blind liga...