Details for: CL0008034

Cell ID: CL0008034

Cell Name: mural cell

Description: Mural cells are pericytes and the vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) of the microcirculation.

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 mural 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 mural 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 mural 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 mural 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:  mural cell (CL0008034)

 Legend
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 [mural cell](/details-cell/CL0008034), encompassing pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells of the microcirculation, is a critical structural and regulatory component of blood vessels. Analysis of its gene significance profile in an **Overall** context reveals a cell type defined by a complex network of transcriptional and chromatin regulators, which likely establish and maintain its unique identity. The top marker, [ZBTB20](/details-gene/26137), a BTB/POZ zinc finger transcription factor, underscores the importance of precise gene regulation in these cells. Furthermore, high significance scores for genes involved in calcium signaling, contractile machinery, and extracellular communication highlight the mural cell's primary roles in modulating vascular tone, maintaining vessel integrity, and responding to microenvironmental cues. ## Key Characteristics and Function The molecular signature of [mural cells](/details-cell/CL0008034) is dominated by genes orchestrating transcriptional control, signal transduction, and structural function. * **Transcriptional and Chromatin Regulation:** A substantial number of high-scoring markers are involved in regulating gene expression, suggesting a tightly controlled cellular identity. These include the top marker [ZBTB20](/details-gene/26137), along with chromatin-modifying factors like [ARID1B](/details-gene/57492), [MBD5](/details-gene/55777), and [RERE](/details-gene/473), and the transcriptional coregulator [MED13L](/details-gene/23389). The high significance of the long non-coding RNA [NEAT1](/details-gene/283131), known for its role in organizing nuclear architecture, further emphasizes the importance of nuclear organization and epigenetic control in mural cell function. * **Signal Transduction and Ion Homeostasis:** [Mural cells](/details-cell/CL0008034) are poised to respond to a wide array of signals, a function critical for regulating blood flow. This is evidenced by the high significance of genes involved in calcium signaling, such as the voltage-gated calcium channel subunits [CACNA1C](/details-gene/775) and [CACNB2](/details-gene/783), and the ryanodine receptor [RYR2](/details-gene/6262), which mediates calcium release from internal stores. Additionally, genes modulating G-protein coupled receptor pathways, such as [RGS5](/details-gene/8490), and cAMP signaling, like [PDE7B](/details-gene/27115), are prominent. The phospholipase [PLA2G5](/details-gene/5322) suggests a role in lipid-based signaling within the vascular niche. * **Contractile and Structural Functions:** Consistent with their role as pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells, [mural cells](/details-cell/CL0008034) express key components of the contractile apparatus. Notably, the myosin heavy chain gene [MYH7](/details-gene/4625) and the sarcomeric protein [TCAP](/details-gene/8557) are highly significant markers. The expression of [SEPTIN7](/details-gene/989) also points to a role in cytoskeletal organization. Genes involved in extracellular matrix interaction, such as [SPARCL1](/details-gene/8404), further define their structural role in the vessel wall. * **Anti-Markers:** The relatively low significance of core mitochondrial respiratory genes, including [COX1](/details-gene/4512) and [COX3](/details-gene/4514), may suggest that the metabolic profile of mural cells is distinct from more highly aerobic cell types. Additionally, several genes involved in mRNA splicing, such as [SRSF5](/details-gene/6430) and [RBM39](/details-gene/9584), show low or negative significance, although the functional implication of this observation requires further investigation. ## Clinical Significance and Contextual Roles **Overall**, the gene expression profile of [mural cells](/details-cell/CL0008034) strongly implicates them in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases. Several of the most significant marker genes are directly linked to inherited cardiac disorders. * Mutations in [MYH7](/details-gene/4625) are a known cause of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy ([Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10996847/)). * Mutations in the cardiac ryanodine receptor [RYR2](/details-gene/6262) are responsible for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy type 2 (ARVD2) ([Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11159936/)). * The transcription coregulator [MED13L](/details-gene/23389) has been implicated in congenital heart defects, specifically transposition of the great arteries ([Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14638541/)). These genetic links highlight the indispensable role of mural cells not only in microvascular function but also in broader cardiogenesis and cardiac muscle function. The high significance of genes like [CACNA1C](/details-gene/775) and [RGS5](/details-gene/8490) also points to their potential involvement in hypertension and other disorders of vascular tone. Furthermore, the identification of [IL1RAPL1](/details-gene/11141), a gene involved in X-linked mental retardation ([Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10471494/)), as a specific marker suggests a potential role for mural cell dysfunction in neurovascular disorders and cognitive impairment. ## Potential Mechanisms and Research Directions 1. **Hypothesis:** The profound enrichment of transcription factors and chromatin remodelers ([ZBTB20](/details-gene/26137), [ARID1B](/details-gene/57492), [MBD5](/details-gene/55777)) as top markers suggests that the identity and functional state of [mural cells](/details-cell/CL0008034) are governed by a core transcriptional regulatory network. This network likely maintains their contractile phenotype and structural integrity while also providing the plasticity needed to respond to pathological stimuli like inflammation or tissue injury, where mural cells are known to undergo phenotypic changes. * **Surprising Findings:** The top-ranking marker, [ZBTB20](/details-gene/26137), is often studied in the context of hematopoietic cells and immune responses, as highlighted in a key publication ([Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11352661/)). Its exceptional specificity in mural cells is unexpected and points towards a novel, non-immune function in vascular biology. * **Testable Questions:** Does conditional knockout of [ZBTB20](/details-gene/26137) in mural cell lineages (e.g., using PDGFRB-Cre or NG2-Cre driver lines) result in defects in vascular development, blood-brain barrier integrity, or the fibrotic response to injury? 2. **Hypothesis:** The co-expression of a suite of genes involved in calcium influx ([CACNA1C](/details-gene/775), [CACNB2](/details-gene/783)), calcium release ([RYR2](/details-gene/6262)), and G-protein signaling modulation ([RGS5](/details-gene/8490)) positions the mural cell as a key integrator of vasoactive and neurogenic signals to fine-tune microcirculatory hemodynamics. This integrated signaling capacity is likely central to matching local blood flow with metabolic demand. * **Surprising Findings:** The high significance of [PLA2G5](/details-gene/5322), a secreted phospholipase A2, suggests that mural cells may not only respond to signals but also actively shape their microenvironment by generating lipid mediators. These could act in a paracrine fashion to influence adjacent endothelial cells or immune cells, adding a layer of signaling complexity beyond simple mechanical contraction. * **Testable Questions:** Using in vivo imaging with genetically encoded calcium indicators expressed specifically in mural cells, how do calcium dynamics mediated by [CACNA1C](/details-gene/775) and [RYR2](/details-gene/6262) correlate with real-time changes in capillary diameter and blood flow in response to neuronal activity or systemic vasoactive agents?