Details for: CL0000669

Cell ID: CL0000669

Cell Name: pericyte

Description: Pericytes are CD10-positive, CD13-positive, CD31-negative, CD45-negative, CD106-positive, CD117-negative, CD140-positive, CD144-negative, CD146-positive, CD271-positive, CD325-positive, NG2-positive, RGS5-positive, SMA-positive, and desmin-positive. A subpopulation is CD248-positive. They are also capable of producing angiopoietin 1, CXCL12, TGF-beta, and VEGF-A.

Synonyms: adventitial cell, adventitial reticular cell, cell of Rouget, pericyte cell, pericyte of Rouget, ARC

Selected Context(s): Overall

Gene Significance Landscape

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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 pericyte 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 pericyte. 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 pericyte. 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 pericyte. 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.
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Target Cell for CSI:  pericyte (CL0000669)

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Node size also reflects Target Cell CSI magnitude.
Node Color (Target Cell CSI in specific network):
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 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 [pericyte](/details-cell/CL0000669), also known as an adventitial cell, is a mesenchymal-like mural cell that wraps around the endothelium of capillaries and microvessels, playing a crucial role in vascular development, stabilization, and homeostasis. The molecular profile presented here, based on an **Overall** analysis of gene expression specificity, reveals a surprisingly unique and specialized identity. The top marker gene, [STRC](/details-gene/161497), is primarily associated with the structural integrity of inner ear hair cells, suggesting that pericytes may possess highly tissue-specific functions related to complex cell-matrix adhesion. Other highly specific markers, such as the prion-like protein [PRND](/details-gene/23627) and the protocadherin [PCDHB15](/details-gene/56121), further underscore a role in specialized cell-cell interactions and protein homeostasis, extending the known functions of this cell type beyond simple vascular support. ## Key Characteristics and Function The gene significance profile highlights several functional clusters that define the [pericyte](/details-cell/CL0000669). * **Specialized Cell Adhesion and Structural Roles:** The most prominent feature is the high specificity of genes involved in cell adhesion. [STRC](/details-gene/161497) (stereocilin), the top marker, is known for its role in cell-matrix adhesion within the sensory epithelium of the inner ear ([Link](https://doi.org/10.1038/ng726)). Its high Cell Significance Index (CSI) in pericytes suggests a critical, albeit perhaps context-dependent, structural function. This is complemented by [PCDHB15](/details-gene/56121), a member of the cadherin superfamily, which directly implicates pericytes in calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion, a vital process for maintaining close contact with endothelial cells. * **Protein Modification and Signaling:** Pericytes appear to be active in post-translational modification and signaling. [GALNT9](/details-gene/50614), a polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase, points to a role in O-linked glycosylation, a process crucial for modifying protein function and cell surface interactions. Furthermore, the specific expression of [MAPK15](/details-gene/225689) (ERK8) suggests the activity of a distinct mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade, potentially downstream of Src-family kinases, which could regulate cellular processes like proliferation and differentiation ([Link](https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.m112483200)). * **Metabolic and Immune-Related Functions:** The profile indicates unexpected metabolic and immune capabilities. The high specificity of [HGD](/details-gene/3081), the enzyme deficient in the metabolic disorder alkaptonuria, suggests a role in amino acid metabolism. [PNPLA3](/details-gene/80339), strongly associated with liver disease, points towards lipid metabolism. Additionally, the presence of [FCN2](/details-gene/2220), a component of the lectin complement pathway, and [B2M](/details-gene/567), the light chain of MHC class I molecules, is consistent with a role in innate immunity and antigen presentation, respectively. This suggests pericytes may function as local immune sentinels. * **Cellular Identity and Exclusion:** The anti-markers provide clarity on what pericytes are not. The significant negative association with multiple mitochondrial genes, including [COX2](/details-gene/4513), [COX3](/details-gene/4514), [ATP6](/details-gene/4508), and [ND4L](/details-gene/4539), may indicate a lower reliance on oxidative phosphorylation compared to the average cell type in the analyzed tissues, or a more glycolytic phenotype. The strong negative enrichment for [TRAV39](/details-gene/28642) confirms their non-T-cell lineage, while the absence of developmental factors like [GDF3](/details-gene/9573) aligns with their differentiated state. ## Clinical Significance and Contextual Roles The gene signature of pericytes provides potential links to a diverse range of pathologies, suggesting that pericyte dysfunction could be a contributing factor in diseases beyond the vasculature. * **Sensorineural and Neurodegenerative Disorders:** The extraordinary specificity of [STRC](/details-gene/161497), a gene whose mutation causes autosomal recessive non-syndromal deafness ([Link](https://doi.org/10.1038/ng726)), strongly implicates pericytes in the pathobiology of the inner ear. This suggests that vascular integrity or pericyte-derived structural support in the cochlea may be critical for hearing. Similarly, the high CSI of [PRND](/details-gene/23627), a protein whose overexpression is linked to ataxia and neurodegeneration in prion protein-deficient models ([Link](https://doi.org/10.1006/jmbi.1999.3108)), positions pericytes as potential players in central nervous system disorders. Their role at the blood-brain barrier combined with this molecular signature suggests they may be involved in managing proteinopathies. * **Metabolic Diseases:** The identification of [HGD](/details-gene/3081), the gene for alkaptonuria ([Link](https://doi.org/10.1038/ng0996-19)), as a specific marker is unexpected and points to a potential role for pericytes in systemic or local tyrosine metabolism. More established is the link between [PNPLA3](/details-gene/80339) and metabolic dysfunction, particularly non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). In the liver, hepatic stellate cells (a specialized pericyte) are central to fibrosis, and the specificity of [PNPLA3](/details-gene/80339) reinforces their role in lipid droplet metabolism and liver pathology. * **Inflammation and Immunity:** The expression of [FCN2](/details-gene/2220) suggests that pericytes could initiate local inflammatory responses through the complement system. This function as a first-line sensor of pathogens or tissue damage may be critical in regulating vascular permeability and leukocyte trafficking during inflammation. ## Potential Mechanisms and Research Directions 1. **Hypothesis:** The high expression specificity of [STRC](/details-gene/161497) indicates that a specialized subset of pericytes, particularly within the cochlea, contributes directly to the structural scaffolding of the stria vascularis or the organ of Corti. We hypothesize that pericyte-derived stereocilin is essential for maintaining the unique cell-matrix adhesions required for the integrity of the cochlear microenvironment and fluid homeostasis, and its absence leads to vascular dysfunction that secondarily causes hair cell death. * **Surprising Findings:** The premier marker for a vascular-associated cell is a gene whose known function is almost exclusively restricted to the stereocilia of sensory hair cells. * **Testable Questions:** Does pericyte-specific conditional knockout of [STRC](/details-gene/161497) in mice result in progressive hearing loss, and can this be correlated with morphological defects in the cochlear microvasculature or abnormal ion gradients in the endolymph? 2. **Hypothesis:** The co-expression of the prion-like protein [PRND](/details-gene/23627) and the nuclear long non-coding RNA [NEAT1](/details-gene/283131) suggests that pericytes within the CNS act as critical regulators of protein and RNA homeostasis at the blood-brain barrier. We propose that pericytes use these molecules to buffer the neurovascular unit from proteotoxic and transcriptional stress, and that dysregulation of this pericytic stress-response system contributes to the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier seen in many neurodegenerative diseases. * **Surprising Findings:** A cell known for its structural role expresses a specific marker ([PRND](/details-gene/23627)) linked to protein misfolding diseases, as well as a key architectural RNA ([NEAT1](/details-gene/283131)) for nuclear paraspeckles, pointing towards an unappreciated role in molecular quality control. * **Testable Questions:** In a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, is there an alteration in the expression of [PRND](/details-gene/23627) and the subcellular localization of [NEAT1](/details-gene/283131) in brain pericytes that correlates with amyloid-beta deposition and blood-brain barrier leakage?