Details for: CL1000487

Cell ID: CL1000487

Cell Name: smooth muscle cell of prostate

Description: A smooth muscle cell that is part of the prostate gland.

Synonyms: smooth muscle fiber of prostate

Selected Context(s): Overall

Gene Significance Landscape

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Score:
Display
Genes

Contexts:

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

Image representation

Depiction of smooth muscle cell of prostate
Courtesy of SwissBioPics

Significant Genes List

Genes with the highest and lowest Percentile Rank Scores (PRS) for smooth muscle cell of prostate 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 smooth muscle cell of prostate. 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 smooth muscle cell of prostate. 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 smooth muscle cell of prostate. 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:  smooth muscle cell of prostate (CL1000487)

 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 A [smooth muscle cell of prostate](/details-cell/CL1000487) is a specialized contractile cell that forms the fibromuscular stroma of the prostate gland. The gene significance profile for this cell type is dominated by markers essential for its core contractile function and high metabolic activity. The exceptionally high expression specificity of myosin light chain genes, such as [MYL6](/details-gene/4637) (CSI_Z: 16.51), unequivocally establishes its identity as a muscle cell. Concurrently, the strong significance of numerous mitochondrial genes ([ND2](/details-gene/4536), [COX2](/details-gene/4513)) points to a high energy demand required to maintain tone and support prostatic function. Interestingly, the high ranking of the long non-coding RNA [NEAT1](/details-gene/283131) suggests that complex gene regulatory networks are equally critical in defining and maintaining this cell's specialized phenotype. ## Key Characteristics and Function **Overall**, the gene expression landscape of prostatic [smooth muscle cells](/details-cell/CL1000487) highlights a dedication to contractility, supported by a robust metabolic infrastructure and active protein turnover. * **Contractile and Cytoskeletal Machinery:** The cell's primary role is defined by a suite of highly specific genes related to the cytoskeleton and motor activity. Top markers include myosin light chains [MYL6](/details-gene/4637) and [MYL9](/details-gene/10398), which are critical for regulating actomyosin contraction. The high score for [CFL1](/details-gene/1072) (cofilin 1), an actin-depolymerizing factor, further indicates dynamic regulation of the actin cytoskeleton necessary for generating and maintaining mechanical force within the prostate stroma. * **High Metabolic Demand:** A prominent feature of this cell type is the strong significance of multiple genes encoding components of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Genes such as [ND2](/details-gene/4536), [COX2](/details-gene/4513), [COX1](/details-gene/4512), [COX6C](/details-gene/1345), and [ND3](/details-gene/4537) are all among the top markers. This pattern is consistent with a high reliance on aerobic respiration to generate the ATP required for sustained smooth muscle contraction, a process essential for glandular secretion and urinary function. The significance of [GAPDH](/details-gene/2597) also points to the importance of glycolysis in fueling this energetic demand. * **Gene Regulation and Nuclear Architecture:** The high specificity of the long non-coding RNA [NEAT1](/details-gene/283131) suggests a key role for this transcript in organizing nuclear structure, specifically paraspeckles, to regulate gene expression. Additionally, the presence of [HMGB1](/details-gene/3146), a chromatin-binding protein, and [NAP1L1](/details-gene/4673), a nucleosome assembly protein, indicates that the maintenance of a specific chromatin state is fundamental to the cell's identity. * **Ion Homeostasis:** Calcium and iron homeostasis appear critical. The high significance of calcium-binding proteins like [S100A6](/details-gene/6277) and [TPT1](/details-gene/7178), in addition to the myosin light chains, underscores the central role of calcium signaling in triggering and modulating contraction. Furthermore, the prominence of ferritin subunits [FTH1](/details-gene/2495) and [FTL](/details-gene/2512) highlights the need to manage iron, a crucial cofactor for the highly active mitochondrial cytochromes. * **Lineage Definition:** The anti-marker profile helps to distinguish this cell from other stromal or epithelial types. The very low significance of genes like the chemokine [CCL19](/details-gene/6363) suggests these cells are not primary immune modulators in a resting state. Similarly, low scores for transcription factors associated with other mesenchymal lineages, such as [FOXF1](/details-gene/2294) and [PRRX1](/details-gene/5396), confirm its distinct smooth muscle identity. ## Clinical Significance and Contextual Roles The gene profile of prostatic [smooth muscle cells](/details-cell/CL1000487) provides insights into their potential contributions to prostate pathologies such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer. The high specificity of [NEAT1](/details-gene/283131) is particularly relevant, as this lncRNA is frequently dysregulated in various malignancies, including prostate cancer, where it can influence cell proliferation and therapy resistance. Its role as a defining marker in normal smooth muscle suggests that alterations in its expression could be an early event in the pathological transformation of the prostatic stroma. Similarly, the high significance of [HMGB1](/details-gene/3146) is notable. As a prototypic damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP), its release from stressed or dying smooth muscle cells could initiate or perpetuate the chronic inflammation often associated with BPH and prostate cancer progression. Furthermore, the prominence of [SAT1](/details-gene/6303), a key enzyme in polyamine catabolism, links these cells to a metabolic pathway known to be critical for prostate cell growth and a therapeutic target in prostate cancer. The activity of stromal [SAT1](/details-gene/6303) could influence polyamine levels within the broader tumor microenvironment. The significant expression of the calcium-binding protein [S100A6](/details-gene/6277), which has been implicated in cell proliferation and motility, further suggests that these cells possess the molecular machinery to actively participate in tissue remodeling during disease. ## Potential Mechanisms and Research Directions 1. **Hypothesis:** The long non-coding RNA [NEAT1](/details-gene/283131) acts as a master regulator of the prostatic smooth muscle cell phenotype by organizing nuclear paraspeckles to sequester specific RNA-binding proteins and transcription factors, thereby stabilizing the contractile gene program and preventing differentiation into a more proliferative, pro-tumorigenic myofibroblast-like state. * **Surprising Findings:** It is unexpected for a structural lncRNA to be one of the most specific markers for a cell type primarily defined by its mechanical function. This finding elevates the importance of nuclear architecture and post-transcriptional regulation to a level on par with the expression of core contractile proteins in defining this cell's identity. * **Testable Questions:** Does targeted degradation of [NEAT1](/details-gene/283131) in primary human prostatic [smooth muscle cells](/details-cell/CL1000487) alter their morphology, contractility, and expression of key markers like [MYL6](/details-gene/4637), while upregulating fibrotic or cancer-associated stroma markers? 2. **Hypothesis:** The distinct and highly specific metabolic signature, characterized by an abundance of mitochondrial respiratory chain components (e.g., [ND2](/details-gene/4536), [COX2](/details-gene/4513)), positions prostatic [smooth muscle cells](/details-cell/CL1000487) as critical metabolic regulators of the prostate microenvironment. We propose that these cells can be co-opted during malignancy to provide essential metabolites (e.g., lactate, amino acids) that fuel the growth and survival of adjacent prostate cancer cells, a phenomenon known as metabolic symbiosis. * **Surprising Findings:** While high energy production is logical for a muscle cell, the data suggests that the *specificity* of this mitochondrial gene set is a defining characteristic. This implies a specialized metabolic function tailored to the prostate gland, potentially beyond simple ATP production for contraction, that becomes a liability in the context of cancer. * **Testable Questions:** Using stable isotope tracing in co-culture models, do prostatic [smooth muscle cells](/details-cell/CL1000487) secrete metabolites that are taken up and utilized by prostate cancer cells, and does inhibition of specific mitochondrial complexes in the smooth muscle cells impair cancer cell proliferation?