Pericyte Vasoregulatory Identity
Gene co-expression module in Smooth muscle cells
| Category | Contractility |
|---|---|
| Genes | 15 |
| Annotation certainty | 3 of 5 |
| Annotation consistency | 10 of 15 genes have a known function matching the annotation |
Why this annotation
The strongest hubs are canonical mural/pericyte and vasoregulatory genes: KCNJ8 and ABCC9 encode the two subunits of the vascular KATP channel (classic pericyte/SMC markers), ADRA2C and PTGER1 are GPCRs that set vascular tone, and PROS1, CFH, RARRES2, CCDC80, SRPX, FGF7 form the secreted/matricellular repertoire typical of pericytes and perivascular mural cells. There is no contractile apparatus (no ACTA2/MYH11/TAGLN) and no foreign lineage marker, so this is a mural cell-state/identity program within the smooth muscle compartment rather than contamination. It is functionally complementary to its neighbors: M95 supplies the secretory machinery for these secreted factors and M21 represents the activated/stressed counterpart of the same mural population.
Genes
ABCC9, ADRA2C, CCDC80, CFH, FEZ2, FGF7, KCNJ8, PCSK1N, PROS1, PSMD1, PTGER1, RARRES2, SH3BP5, SRPX, TLE2
Most correlated modules
- Activated Myofibroblast · correlation 0.71
- ER-Golgi Secretory Pathway · correlation 0.68
- Stromal Chemokine Secretion · correlation 0.65
Module annotations were drafted by a large language model from the module's genes, then reviewed and approved by a domain expert. See sources & licences.