Details for: CL1001318

Cell ID: CL1001318

Cell Name: renal interstitial pericyte

Description: A pericyte cell located in the kidney interstitium.

Selected Context(s): Overall

Gene Significance Landscape

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Genes

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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 renal interstitial 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 renal interstitial 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 renal interstitial 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 renal interstitial 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.
Select a context for the baseline cell.
Select a context for the target cell.
Target Cell for CSI:  renal interstitial pericyte (CL1001318)

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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 **[renal interstitial pericyte](/details-cell/CL1001318)** is a specialized mesenchymal cell located within the kidney interstitium, traditionally known for its role in regulating microvascular capillary tone and stability. Gene significance analysis, based on expression specificity (**`csi_z`**), reveals a striking and defining molecular signature dominated by genes associated with neuronal signaling, ion channel activity, and G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) pathways. The high specificity scores for genes such as the potassium channel [KCNMA1](/details-gene/3778), the G-protein signaling regulator [RGS6](/details-gene/9628), and the neurotrophin receptor [NTRK3](/details-gene/4916) suggest that these pericytes are not merely contractile cells but function as sophisticated local signaling hubs, integrating neuro-hormonal and environmental cues to precisely control the renal microenvironment. ## Key Characteristics and Function **Overall**, the gene expression profile of renal interstitial pericytes points towards a cell type with a complex and specialized role in signal reception and transduction, alongside expected contractile functions. The top marker genes can be grouped into distinct functional clusters. * **Ion Channel Activity and Electrophysiology:** A prominent feature of this cell is the highly specific expression of ion channel genes. The top marker, [KCNMA1](/details-gene/3778) ([Link](https://doi.org/10.1016/0169-328x(94)90203-8)), encodes the alpha subunit of the large-conductance, calcium-activated potassium channel (BK channel), a key regulator of membrane potential and smooth muscle excitability. This is complemented by high scores for [KCNIP4](/details-gene/80333), a potassium channel interacting protein, and [ANO3](/details-gene/63982), a calcium-gated chloride channel. This molecular machinery suggests these pericytes possess sophisticated control over their membrane potential, likely influencing their contractile state in response to local ionic and signaling changes. * **Neuronal-like Signaling and Adhesion:** Perhaps the most striking characteristic is the enrichment of genes typically associated with the nervous system. High specificity scores for the neurotrophin receptor [NTRK3](/details-gene/4916), the synaptic vesicle calcium sensor [SYT1](/details-gene/6857), and the cell adhesion molecule [NRXN3](/details-gene/9369) indicate a quasi-synaptic functional capacity. Further support comes from markers like glutamate receptors ([GRID1](/details-gene/2894), [GRID2](/details-gene/2895)), microtubule-associated protein [MAP1B](/details-gene/4131), and nervous system development protein [MDGA2](/details-gene/161357). This suite of genes suggests that renal pericytes may engage in complex, synapse-like communication with adjacent endothelial cells, nephron segments, or innervating nerve fibers. * **G-Protein Coupled Receptor (GPCR) Signaling:** The cells appear to be highly responsive to extracellular signals, evidenced by top markers involved in GPCR pathways. [RGS6](/details-gene/9628) (Regulator of G-protein signaling 6) is a potent modulator of GPCR activity. The alpha-1A adrenergic receptor, [ADRA1A](/details-gene/148), directly implicates these cells as targets for catecholamines like norepinephrine, mediating vasoconstriction. The presence of adhesion G protein-coupled receptor [ADGRB3](/details-gene/577) further underscores their role in sensing and responding to the extracellular environment. * **Contractility and Structural Integrity:** Consistent with their classical function, renal interstitial pericytes express genes for contractility and structural support. [MYH11](/details-gene/4629), the smooth muscle myosin heavy chain, provides the direct motor capability for vasoconstriction. [ITGA8](/details-gene/8516), an integrin subunit, is crucial for anchoring the cell to the extracellular matrix, a function vital for maintaining capillary architecture and stability ([Link](https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1755.1999.00662.x)). The **Anti-Markers** provide further clarity on the cell's specialized identity. The low specificity scores for ubiquitous housekeeping genes involved in metabolism ([GAPDH](/details-gene/2597), [ATP5F1B](/details-gene/506), [COX4I1](/details-gene/1327)), protein translation ([TMA7](/details-gene/51372)), and ubiquitin-mediated processes ([UBB](/details-gene/7314)) do not imply an absence of these functions. Instead, it highlights that the defining characteristic of this cell is its specialized signaling and structural apparatus, rather than a unique metabolic or protein-synthesis profile. ## Clinical Significance and Contextual Roles Given that this analysis reflects an **Overall** context, the defining markers provide a foundational blueprint of the cell's function, which is likely critical in both health and disease. The molecular signature of renal interstitial pericytes places them at the nexus of renal blood flow regulation, neural control, and structural maintenance of the microvasculature. The high expression of [ADRA1A](/details-gene/148) suggests these cells are key effectors of the sympathetic nervous system's control over renal blood flow, a pathway often dysregulated in hypertension. Pericyte dysfunction is increasingly implicated in the microvascular rarefaction and fibrosis seen in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetic nephropathy. The neuronal-like signaling capacity, highlighted by genes such as [NTRK3](/details-gene/4916) and [SYT1](/details-gene/6857), may be involved in maladaptive signaling during disease progression, potentially contributing to fibrosis or vascular instability. Furthermore, the expression of [MYH11](/details-gene/4629) connects these cells to broader vascular pathologies, as mutations in this gene are associated with inherited thoracic aortic aneurysms, suggesting a conserved role for pericyte-like cells in maintaining vascular integrity throughout the body. The integrin [ITGA8](/details-gene/8516) has been shown to be involved in experimental glomerulonephritis, underscoring the cell's potential role in renal inflammation and disease ([Link](https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1755.1999.00662.x)). ## Potential Mechanisms and Research Directions 1. **Hypothesis:** Renal interstitial pericytes utilize a sophisticated, neuronal-like signaling toolkit, including neurotrophin receptors ([NTRK3](/details-gene/4916)), glutamate receptors ([GRID1](/details-gene/2894), [GRID2](/details-gene/2895)), and synaptic vesicle machinery ([SYT1](/details-gene/6857)), to form functional communication hubs. These hubs may directly sense and integrate signals from renal nerves and adjacent tubular epithelia to enact highly localized, precise adjustments in microvascular perfusion and function. * **Surprising Findings:** The sheer breadth and specificity of canonical neuronal genes expressed by a mesenchymal pericyte is highly unexpected. It suggests a level of signaling complexity far beyond simple contraction, positioning these cells as local microprocessors within the kidney interstitium. * **Testable Questions:** Can live imaging of the kidney using two-photon microscopy demonstrate calcium transients in pericytes in response to direct application of glutamate or neurotrophins, and does this activity correlate with localized changes in the diameter of associated capillaries or alterations in the transport function of adjacent renal tubules? 2. **Hypothesis:** The specific combination of the large-conductance potassium channel [KCNMA1](/details-gene/3778) and the adrenergic receptor [ADRA1A](/details-gene/148) forms the core regulatory axis for sympathetic control of renal microcirculation. Sympathetic nerve stimulation activates [ADRA1A](/details-gene/148), leading to depolarization and contraction, while local metabolic or paracrine signals modulate this response by gating the [KCNMA1](/details-gene/3778) channel, thus providing a mechanism for feedback control that matches blood flow to local metabolic demand. * **Surprising Findings:** The data suggest that the cell's unique identity is more strongly defined by its electrophysiological and receptor machinery than by its core contractile proteins (e.g., [MYH11](/details-gene/4629)). This implies that the regulation of contraction, rather than the capacity for contraction itself, is the most specialized feature of this cell. * **Testable Questions:** In isolated renal arterioles or kidney slice preparations, does pharmacological blockade of [KCNMA1](/details-gene/3778) channels potentiate the vasoconstrictive response to an [ADRA1A](/details-gene/148) agonist? Furthermore, does genetic ablation of [KCNMA1](/details-gene/3778) specifically in pericytes lead to impaired renal blood flow autoregulation in a mouse model?