Vascular SMC Identity
Gene co-expression module in Smooth muscle cells
| Category | Contractility |
|---|---|
| Genes | 19 |
| Annotation certainty | 4 of 5 |
| Annotation consistency | 15 of 19 genes have a known function matching the annotation |
Why this annotation
Hub genes RERGL, ADIRF, BCAM, NTRK2, SORBS2, PLAC9, CRIP1, GPX3 constitute the canonical vascular/mural smooth muscle (arteriolar SMC–pericyte) transcriptional signature, complemented by contractile/excitation–contraction machinery (KCNA5, KCNAB1 voltage-gated K+ channel subunits typical of vascular SMC, HRC histidine-rich calcium-binding SR protein, TMEM38B/TRIC-B intracellular cation channel, SORBS2 actin-anchoring adaptor). Core coherence and uniform expression argue for a bona fide mural-cell identity/contractile phenotype module rather than contamination; its neighbors (M109, M44) are similarly differentiated-SMC metabolic/contractile programs, supporting this reading.
Genes
ADIRF, ARPC1A, BCAM, CCDC3, CRIP1, EFHD1, GPRC5C, GPX3, HRC, KCNA5, KCNAB1, MTHFD2, NTRK2, PLAC9, RERGL, SNCG, SORBS2, TMEM38B, UBA2
Most correlated modules
- Oxidative Muscle Metabolism · correlation 0.93
- Wnt-Notch Modulation · correlation 0.92
- Actomyosin Regulation · correlation 0.86
- Mural/Pericyte Identity · correlation 0.84
- Myogenic Cytoskeletal Program · correlation 0.84
- FOXC-PRDM16 Program · correlation 0.82
- Contractile SMC Identity · correlation 0.81
- Muscle Energy Metabolism · correlation 0.76
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.