CellVocal Attributes Transcriptional Dynamics to Spatial Signalling

CellVocal reconstructs spatially restricted ligand–receptor programmes and communication-linked transcriptional dynamics across the mouse brain, gut, and lung, including NCAM1–NCAM1 effects on RNA velocity.

• Why it matters: Local signalling can reshape cell-state transitions, but it is hard to connect spatial communication with transcriptional dynamics in a way that attributes changes to specific pathways and neighbouring senders.
• What they did: CellVocal integrates spatial RNA velocity with cell–cell communication to split transitions into intrinsic and communication-associated components, then assigns contributions to signalling modules and sender cells.
• The result: In embryonic neurogenesis, inferred NCAM1–NCAM1 signalling is linked to lower cell-cycle-associated RNA velocity; in melanoma, MIF–CD74+CD44 signalling corresponds to a predicted decline in the melanocytic programme, and in acute liver failure it associates hepatocyte-derived ANGPTL4–SDC1 signalling with acetaminophen-related communication enrichment and predicted matrix-remodelling RNA dynamics.

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