Details for: CL4040002

Cell ID: CL4040002

Cell Name: enteroglial cell

Description: Glial cell that provides support to the enteric nervous system. It is involved in enteric neurotransmission, in maintaining the integrity of the mucosal barrier of the gut and serves as a link between the nervous and immune systems of the gut. In enteric nerve strands, glial processes ensheath multiaxonal bundles which distinguishes enteric glia from all other peripheral glia. Ultrastructurally, the most conspicuous trait of an enteroglial cell is the presence of 10 nm filaments, which criss-cross the cell body, form axial bundles in the processes and appear to firmly anchor the cells to the ganglionic surfaces. Similar to astrocytes, their main constituent is glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP).

Synonyms: enteric glia, enteric glial cell

Selected Context(s): Overall

Gene Significance Landscape

Display Options
Score:
Display
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 enteroglial 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 enteroglial 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 enteroglial 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 enteroglial 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:  enteroglial cell (CL4040002)

 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.

Loading network (please wait)...

## Summary The [enteroglial cell](/details-cell/CL4040002) is a specialized glial cell type within the enteric nervous system, analogous to astrocytes in the central nervous system. The gene significance profile suggests its core identity is defined by an exceptionally high and specific metabolic activity. **Overall**, the top marker genes are dominated by components of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, indicating a primary role in energy production, likely to support the high metabolic demands of enteric neurons and maintain gut homeostasis. Furthermore, the prominence of genes involved in iron homeostasis, calcium signaling, and transcriptional regulation highlights its function as a dynamic sensor and regulator within the gut microenvironment. ## Key Characteristics and Function Analysis of the gene significance profile for the [enteroglial cell](/details-cell/CL4040002) reveals several key functional themes that define its biological role. * **Exceptional Mitochondrial Respiration:** The most striking feature of this cell type is the profound enrichment for genes encoding components of the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Nearly all of the top markers by specificity are mitochondrially-encoded genes, including subunits of Complex I ([ND1](/details-gene/4535), [ND3](/details-gene/4537), [ND4](/details-gene/4538), [ND5](/details-gene/4540)), Complex III ([CYTB](/details-gene/4519)), Complex IV ([COX1](/details-gene/4512), [COX2](/details-gene/4513)), and Complex V ([ATP6](/details-gene/4508)). This pattern strongly suggests that a state of high-level aerobic respiration is a defining and specific characteristic of enteroglial cells, underpinning their supportive functions for enteric neurons. * **Iron and Metal Ion Homeostasis:** The ferritin heavy and light chain genes, [FTH1](/details-gene/2495) and [FTL](/details-gene/2512), are among the highest-ranked nuclear-encoded markers. This indicates a specialized capacity for iron storage and management. This function is likely critical for sequestering iron required for the heme groups in the abundant cytochrome proteins of the respiratory chain and for protecting against iron-induced oxidative stress, a significant threat in a high-oxygen-flux environment. * **Cellular Responsiveness and Signaling:** The specific expression of immediate early genes like [FOS](/details-gene/2353) and [JUN](/details-gene/3725) points to a cell that is highly responsive to extracellular stimuli, capable of rapidly initiating new transcriptional programs. This is complemented by the expression of calcium-binding proteins [S100A6](/details-gene/6277) and [CALM2](/details-gene/805), consistent with the known role of calcium signaling in glial cell communication and activation. The presence of [B2M](/details-gene/567) suggests a capacity for antigen presentation via MHC Class I, implicating these cells in neuro-immune interactions within the gut wall. * **Transcriptional and Post-Transcriptional Regulation:** The significance of genes like the transcription factor [KLF6](/details-gene/1316) and the RNA helicase [DDX5](/details-gene/1655), which is involved in mRNA splicing, indicates that [enteroglial cells](/details-cell/CL4040002) maintain complex regulatory networks to fine-tune their function in response to physiological cues. The anti-marker profile is less definitive but includes negative significance for several other mitochondrial components like [COX7C](/details-gene/1350) and [ATP5MG](/details-gene/10632). This may suggest a highly specific stoichiometry of respiratory supercomplexes in enteroglial cells that distinguishes them from other cell types. ## Clinical Significance and Contextual Roles **Overall**, the gene profile positions [enteroglial cells](/details-cell/CL4040002) as central metabolic hubs and sensors within the gut. Their dysfunction is implicated in a range of gastrointestinal pathologies. The intense metabolic signature suggests these cells may be particularly vulnerable to metabolic stress, mitochondrial toxins, or hypoxia, which are features of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and ischemic gut conditions. The high expression of [HMGB1](/details-gene/3146), a known alarmin released from stressed or necrotic cells, further supports a role in initiating or propagating inflammation when homeostasis is compromised. Dysregulation of their iron-handling capacity, indicated by high [FTH1](/details-gene/2495) and [FTL](/details-gene/2512) expression, could contribute to disease. In inflammatory states, excess iron can catalyze the formation of reactive oxygen species, and the ability of enteroglial cells to sequester this iron may be a key neuroprotective mechanism. Failure of this system could lead to neuronal damage and contribute to the pathophysiology of gut motility disorders. Furthermore, the expression of genes involved in neuronal function and inhibition, such as [RTN4](/details-gene/57142) (Nogo), suggests that enteroglial cells actively shape neural circuits. Alterations in these signaling pathways could underlie conditions of visceral hypersensitivity or abnormal peristalsis. ## Potential Mechanisms and Research Directions 1. **Hypothesis: Enteroglial cells function as the primary iron-buffering system of the enteric nervous system, protecting neurons from both iron-related metabolic deficits and toxicity.** The unique co-expression of a vast suite of iron-dependent mitochondrial proteins alongside major iron storage proteins ([FTH1](/details-gene/2495), [FTL](/details-gene/2512)) suggests a tightly regulated system for managing iron flux. This positions these cells as critical for maintaining neuronal health in the gut. * **Surprising Findings:** The prominence of ferritin genes as top specificity markers is unexpected. While glial support is known, this points to iron management as a uniquely defining, rather than a general housekeeping, function of this cell type. * **Testable Questions:** Does selective deletion of [FTH1](/details-gene/2495) in [enteroglial cells](/details-cell/CL4040002) in a mouse model lead to increased neuronal iron accumulation, evidence of oxidative stress, and measurable defects in gut motility under basal or inflammatory conditions? 2. **Hypothesis: The distinct metabolic signature of enteroglial cells, characterized by high expression of mitochondrially-encoded genes, renders them a critical metabolic vulnerability point in the gut, where their dysfunction can initiate neuro-inflammation.** This high-energy state, while necessary for their supportive role, may also represent an "Achilles' heel." When these cells are metabolically compromised (e.g., by toxins or inflammation), their failure could precede and directly cause neuronal dysfunction. * **Surprising Findings:** The specificity profile is not just high for metabolic genes in general, but specifically for the 13 proteins encoded on the mitochondrial genome. This suggests a reliance on mitochondrial-based regulation and biogenesis that is more pronounced in these cells than in surrounding cell types, including potentially the neurons they support. * **Testable Questions:** Using single-cell metabolic profiling or Seahorse assays, how does the respiratory capacity of [enteroglial cells](/details-cell/CL4040002) compare to enteric neurons? Do mitochondrial toxins at low doses preferentially impair enteroglial cell function and subsequently lead to a non-cell-autonomous death of co-cultured enteric neurons?