Details for: CL1001432

Cell ID: CL1001432

Cell Name: kidney collecting duct intercalated cell

Description: Any renal intercalated cell that is part of some collecting duct of renal tubule.

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 kidney collecting duct intercalated 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 kidney collecting duct intercalated 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 kidney collecting duct intercalated 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 kidney collecting duct intercalated 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.
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Select a context for the target cell.
Target Cell for CSI:  kidney collecting duct intercalated cell (CL1001432)

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Nodes (Genes):
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Node size also reflects Target Cell CSI magnitude.
Node Color (Target Cell CSI in specific network):
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 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 [kidney collecting duct intercalated cell](/details-cell/CL1001432) is a specialized epithelial cell within the renal collecting duct. Based on gene significance analysis, this cell is characterized by an exceptionally high level of mitochondrial metabolic activity, crucial for powering its primary functions in active ion transport and the fine-tuning of acid-base and water balance. The specific expression of genes such as the mitochondrial ribosomal RNAs [RNR1](/details-gene/4549) and [RNR2](/details-gene/4550), alongside key transport proteins like [AQP2](/details-gene/359) and [ATP1B1](/details-gene/481), underscores its role as a high-energy workhorse essential for maintaining renal homeostasis. ## Key Characteristics and Function **Overall**, the gene expression profile of the [kidney collecting duct intercalated cell](/details-cell/CL1001432) highlights several core functional themes defined by highly specific gene expression (high `csi_z` scores). * **Intense Mitochondrial Metabolism:** The two most specific markers, [RNR1](/details-gene/4549) (CSI: 18.23) and [RNR2](/details-gene/4550) (CSI: 17.54), are components of the mitochondrial ribosome, indicating a profound commitment to mitochondrial protein synthesis and, by extension, oxidative phosphorylation. This is strongly supported by the specific expression of [SLC25A6](/details-gene/293) (an ADP/ATP translocase), [COX5B](/details-gene/1329) (a subunit of cytochrome c oxidase), and [ATP5F1B](/details-gene/506) (a subunit of ATP synthase). This metabolic machinery is consistent with the high energetic cost of active transport against steep concentration gradients. * **Water and Solute Transport:** The expression of Aquaporin-2 ([AQP2](/details-gene/359)) is a canonical feature of collecting duct cells, mediating vasopressin-regulated water reabsorption ([Link](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.8140421)). The high specificity of the Na+/K+-ATPase subunit [ATP1B1](/details-gene/481) further confirms its role in active ion transport. Additionally, the presence of ion channels such as [SCN2A](/details-gene/6326) (sodium channel) and regulators like [KCNIP4](/details-gene/80333) (potassium channel interacting protein) suggests a sophisticated system for controlling electrolyte flux. * **Epithelial Barrier and Adhesion:** As an epithelial cell, it expresses structural proteins like [KRT8](/details-gene/3856) (Keratin 8) and the adhesion molecule [EPCAM](/details-gene/4072). Uniquely, this cell type also shows highly specific expression of genes typically associated with the nervous system, including [NLGN1](/details-gene/22871) (Neuroligin 1) and [CNTNAP5](/details-gene/129684), suggesting specialized cell-cell communication or adhesion mechanisms. * **Mucosal Immunity:** The specific expression of the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor ([PIGR](/details-gene/5284)) indicates a role in mucosal defense. This receptor is responsible for transporting dimeric IgA across the epithelium into the tubule lumen, providing a first line of immune defense against pathogens in the urinary tract. * **Anti-Markers:** The lack of specific significance for widely expressed housekeeping genes like ubiquitin ([UBB](/details-gene/7314), [UBC](/details-gene/7316)) and general transcription factors like [JUN](/details-gene/3725) reinforces that the cell's unique identity is defined by its specialized metabolic and transport functions rather than by generic cellular processes. The low significance of [B2M](/details-gene/567) may suggest that classical antigen presentation is not a defining feature of this cell. ## Clinical Significance and Contextual Roles The gene signature of the [kidney collecting duct intercalated cell](/details-cell/CL1001432) provides direct links to renal physiology and pathology. * **Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus:** Mutations in [AQP2](/details-gene/359) are a well-established cause of autosomal nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, a disorder characterized by the inability to concentrate urine ([Link](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7524315/)). The high specificity of [AQP2](/details-gene/359) in this cell type underscores its central role in this disease. * **Inflammation and Autoimmunity:** The high specificity of [CD24](/details-gene/100133941), a signal transducer implicated in modulating B-cell activation and linked to protection against autoimmune diseases ([Link](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.0030049)), suggests that these cells may participate in local immune regulation within the kidney. Dysregulation of [CD24](/details-gene/100133941) signaling could potentially contribute to renal inflammatory conditions. * **Channelopathies:** The unexpected specific expression of [SCN2A](/details-gene/6326), a voltage-gated sodium channel primarily studied in the context of epilepsy and other neurological disorders ([Link](https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.89.17.8220)), raises the possibility of its involvement in renal channelopathies. Its function in this non-excitable epithelial cell remains to be elucidated but may relate to fine-tuning ion transport or sensing luminal conditions. * **Metabolic Vulnerability:** The cell's profound reliance on mitochondrial function suggests it may be particularly susceptible to damage from mitochondrial toxins, hypoxic injury, or systemic metabolic diseases, which could impair its ability to maintain acid-base and electrolyte balance. ## Potential Mechanisms and Research Directions 1. **Hypothesis:** The highly specific expression of a suite of neuron-associated genes, including the cell-adhesion molecule [NLGN1](/details-gene/22871), its binding partner [NRXN3](/details-gene/9369), and the voltage-gated sodium channel [SCN2A](/details-gene/6326), indicates that [kidney collecting duct intercalated cells](/details-cell/CL1001432) use a "synaptic-like" toolkit for rapid cell-to-cell communication to coordinate regional transport activity along the collecting duct. * **Surprising Findings:** The identification of a highly specific neuronal adhesion and signaling repertoire in a terminally differentiated renal epithelial cell challenges the conventional view of these genes as being restricted to the nervous system. * **Testable Questions:** Does targeted disruption of the [NLGN1](/details-gene/22871)-[NRXN3](/details-gene/9369) interaction in mouse kidney intercalated cells impair the coordinated tubular response to systemic acid-base or hydration status changes? 2. **Hypothesis:** The concurrent, highly specific expression of genes for intense mitochondrial metabolism ([RNR1](/details-gene/4549), [RNR2](/details-gene/4550), [COX5B](/details-gene/1329)) and mucosal immunity ([PIGR](/details-gene/5284)) suggests that [kidney collecting duct intercalated cells](/details-cell/CL1001432) act as metabolic gatekeepers that couple their transport function with immunosurveillance, potentially altering IgA transport in response to metabolic stress or pathogen sensing. * **Surprising Findings:** The cell's identity is equally defined by its role as a metabolic powerhouse and an immune barrier component, suggesting a direct mechanistic link where energy status dictates immune readiness in the distal nephron. * **Testable Questions:** In primary cultures of intercalated cells, does inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation alter the expression of [PIGR](/details-gene/5284) and its ability to transcytose IgA in response to stimulation by pro-inflammatory cytokines?