Details for: CL0000185

Cell ID: CL0000185

Cell Name: myoepithelial cell

Description: Contractile cells resembling smooth muscle cells that are present in glands, notably the mammary gland, and aid in secretion. This cell has long weaving dendritic processes containing myofilament.

Synonyms: basket epithelial cell, myoepitheliocyte

Selected Context(s): Overall

Gene Significance Landscape

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Score:
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Genes

Contexts:

Cell Significance Index (CSI) is uniquely calculated to reveal cell-specific gene markers. More info here

Significant Genes List

Genes with the highest and lowest Percentile Rank Scores (PRS) for myoepithelial cell within the selected context(s).

Gene ID: A unique numerical identifier for this specific gene.
Symbol: Shortened abbreviation or name that represents this gene.
Ensembl Gene ID: A unique identifier assigned by Ensembl for genomic data mapping.
CSI Score: A combined effect size and statistical significance measure for myoepithelial cell. Higher scores indicate a stronger, more significant difference in expression.
(Previously described as "Fold Change", but now represents Cliff's Delta × –log10(p).)

Gene ID: A unique numerical identifier for this specific gene.
Symbol: Shortened abbreviation or name that represents this gene.
Ensembl Gene ID: A unique identifier assigned by Ensembl for genomic data mapping.
CSI Score: A combined effect size and statistical significance measure for myoepithelial cell. Higher scores indicate a stronger, more significant difference in expression.
Average CSI: csi sum / gene count
Cell network configuration

This network visualizes key genes for myoepithelial cell. It primarily includes:
1. Top genes highly significant for this cell (Num. Top Cell Genes - based on the 'Min. CSI' setting).
2. Any additional specific 'Context Genes' you add below.
The final network is a combined view. Choose an Interaction Source (pathways or protein interactions) and optionally compare CSI scores with a Baseline Cell Type.

Maximum number of selected genes.
Select a context for the baseline cell.
Select a context for the target cell.
Target Cell for CSI:  myoepithelial cell (CL0000185)

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Nodes (Genes):
 Query Gene
Node size also reflects Target Cell CSI magnitude.
Node Color (Target Cell CSI in specific network):
 Very High
 High
 Medium
 Low
 Very Low
 N/A or Not Sig.
Edges (Interactions):
 STRING (Protein-Protein)
 ONTOLOGY (Shared Pathway)
 Colors vary by pathway category; default arrow applies.

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## Summary The [myoepithelial cell](/details-cell/CL0000185) is a specialized cell type of epithelial origin that exhibits contractile properties analogous to smooth muscle cells. Located in glands such as the mammary, salivary, and lacrimal glands, these cells form a basket-like network around secretory acini and ducts. **Overall**, their gene signature is dominated by a unique combination of markers for high metabolic activity, cytoskeletal structure, and contractility. The exceptionally high expression specificity (`csi_z` = 35.81) of the mitochondrial gene [ND1](/details-gene/4535), which encodes a core subunit of the respiratory chain, suggests that a profound capacity for energy production is a defining characteristic of this cell type, likely fueling its essential role in the mechanical expulsion of glandular secretions. ## Key Characteristics and Function The molecular profile of the [myoepithelial cell](/details-cell/CL0000185) reflects its hybrid nature, possessing both epithelial and myoid (muscle-like) features. This duality is evident in the specific co-expression of genes from distinct functional clusters. * **Contractile and Cytoskeletal Apparatus:** The identity of this cell as a contractile unit is unequivocally supported by the high specificity of [MYH11](/details-gene/4629), the smooth muscle myosin heavy chain. This protein is a fundamental component of the microfilament motor machinery responsible for generating contractile force. This function is further supported by a highly organized cytoskeleton, indicated by the specific expression of [MAP1B](/details-gene/4131), a microtubule-associated protein crucial for cytoskeletal organization and stability. * **Epithelial Lineage and Adhesion:** Despite their mesenchymal-like function, these cells retain a clear epithelial identity, marked by the specific expression of [KRT8](/details-gene/3856) (Keratin 8). Their structural role within the glandular epithelium is underscored by the cadherin [CDH19](/details-gene/28513), which mediates calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion and is essential for maintaining tissue integrity. The specific expression of the epithelium-specific transcription factor [ELF3](/details-gene/1999) further solidifies their epithelial origin and developmental program. * **High Metabolic and Biosynthetic Activity:** A striking feature of the [myoepithelial cell](/details-cell/CL0000185) is the set of highly specific markers related to energy metabolism and protein synthesis. Multiple genes encoding subunits of the mitochondrial electron transport chain, including [ND1](/details-gene/4535), [ND5](/details-gene/4540), [ND2](/details-gene/4536), and [COX6A1](/details-gene/1337), exhibit high specificity. This indicates an extraordinarily high and specialized mitochondrial activity, necessary to generate the ATP required for sustained contraction. Concurrently, genes involved in translation ([EEF1B2](/details-gene/1933)), RNA processing ([PABPC1](/details-gene/26986), [DDX5](/details-gene/1655)), and protein turnover ([UBC](/details-gene/7316)) suggest a robust capacity for protein synthesis, likely required to maintain the complex contractile and cytoskeletal machinery. * **Signaling and Ion Transport:** The specific expression of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor [CHRM3](/details-gene/1131) points to regulation by the autonomic nervous system, where acetylcholine binding would trigger contraction via intracellular calcium signaling. This is complemented by the expression of [ATP1B1](/details-gene/481), the beta subunit of the Na+/K+ ATPase, which is critical for maintaining the electrochemical gradients necessary for cell excitability and secondary active transport. **Overall**, the anti-marker profile lacks strong signatures from distinct hematopoietic or neuronal lineages, reinforcing the specialized nature of this cell type. The relatively low specificity of genes like [IL17B](/details-gene/27190) and [HLA E](/details-gene/3133) is consistent with a non-immunological role under baseline conditions. ## Clinical Significance and Contextual Roles Given the singular **Overall** context provided, a dynamic analysis of the [myoepithelial cell](/details-cell/CL0000185)'s role in disease is limited. However, its baseline gene signature provides significant clues to its potential clinical relevance. [Myoepithelial cells](/details-cell/CL0000185) are critical for normal glandular function, and their dysfunction is implicated in conditions like Sjögren's syndrome, where impaired salivary and lacrimal secretion occurs. Furthermore, these cells play a complex and often tumor-suppressive role in the context of cancer, particularly in the breast. They form a natural barrier that carcinoma cells must penetrate to become invasive. The loss of the myoepithelial layer is a key diagnostic feature distinguishing in situ from invasive carcinoma. The strong expression of epithelial markers like [KRT8](/details-gene/3856) and transcription factors like [ELF3](/details-gene/1999), which has been linked to breast tumorigenesis ([Link](https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1200978)), highlights the importance of this cell's lineage in cancer biology. The cell's hybrid nature, expressing both epithelial ([KRT8](/details-gene/3856)) and mesenchymal-like ([MYH11](/details-gene/4629)) proteins, makes it a key subject of study in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a cellular process critical for cancer invasion and metastasis. The specific adhesion profile, marked by [CDH19](/details-gene/28513), may also be crucial in maintaining the tumor-suppressive barrier and its alteration could be an early step in cancer progression. ## Potential Mechanisms and Research Directions 1. **Hypothesis: Myoepithelial cells possess a uniquely adapted mitochondrial network that is physically and functionally coupled to their contractile apparatus to provide on-demand, localized energy for secretion.** * **Surprising Findings:** The most significant observation is not merely high expression, but the high *specificity* (`csi_z`) of core mitochondrial electron transport chain genes like [ND1](/details-gene/4535). In many cells, these are considered housekeeping genes. Their extreme specificity here suggests they are part of a specialized program, rather than just a reflection of high metabolic rate. This implies the mitochondrial function in these cells is qualitatively different, not just quantitatively higher. * **Testable Questions:** Can super-resolution microscopy reveal a distinct spatial organization of mitochondria co-localizing with [MYH11](/details-gene/4629)-containing stress fibers in [myoepithelial cells](/details-cell/CL0000185)? Does inhibiting specific respiratory supercomplex formation disproportionately affect contractile force generation in response to cholinergic stimulation compared to global ATP depletion? 2. **Hypothesis: The integration of cholinergic signaling through [CHRM3](/details-gene/1131) with cytoskeletal dynamics via [MAP1B](/details-gene/4131) and cell-cell adhesion through [CDH19](/details-gene/28513) forms a mechanosensory and signaling hub that coordinates tissue-level contraction in glands.** * **Surprising Findings:** The concurrent high specificity of a neurotransmitter receptor ([CHRM3](/details-gene/1131)), a microtubule organizer ([MAP1B](/details-gene/4131)), and a non-classical cadherin ([CDH19](/details-gene/28513)) suggests a more complex system than simple contraction. It implies that these cells not only respond to signals but may also sense and communicate mechanical stress to neighboring cells, coordinating the synchronous expulsion of fluid from an entire acinus. * **Testable Questions:** Using live-cell imaging and FRET-based biosensors, how does [CHRM3](/details-gene/1131) activation spatially and temporally alter the phosphorylation status and localization of [MAP1B](/details-gene/4131)? Does knockdown of [CDH19](/details-gene/28513) in a 3D organoid model disrupt the coordinated, pulsatile contractions of [myoepithelial cells](/details-cell/CL0000185) in response to a neurotransmitter agonist?