The thyroid gland cell type enriched transcriptome Thyroid gland cell type enriched transcriptome: Summary Thyroid gland cell type enriched transcriptome: Illustrative examples

The thyroid gland cell type enriched transcriptome

The main function of the thyroid gland is the regulation of the metabolic rate. It produces the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), which increase heart rate, respiration and gastrointestinal motility and stimulate carbohydrate and fat metabolism. The thyroid gland also produces calcitonin, a hormone that regulates blood calcium levels.

3017 genes were predicted to have cell type specificity in the thyroid gland.

11 cell types profiled
1013 very highly enriched genes
971 highly enriched genes
1033 moderately enriched genes

Thyroid gland cell type enriched transcriptome: Summary

Genes with predicted cell type specificity within thyroid gland are detailed in Table 1. Identified genes are subdivided into 3 specificity categories, based on the difference between the enrichment score in the corresponding cell type, compared to the other cell types profiled in the tissue (see Methods Summary page for details):

Predicted specificity: ´Very high´ - Differential score vs. other profiled cell types within the tissue >0.35
Predicted specificity: ´High´ - Differential score vs. other profiled cell types within the tissue >0.25
Predicted specificity: ´Moderate´ - Differential score vs. other profiled cell types within the tissue >0.15

Table 1. Number of genes in each specificity category in the thyroid gland cell types.

Cell type	Very high	High	Moderate	Total enriched
Parafollicular cells	30	13	4	47
Thyroid glandular cells	718	548	332	1598
Mitotic cells (Thyroid)	33	25	11	69
Endothelial cells	8	25	37	70
Smooth muscle cells	15	32	39	86
Fibroblasts	11	126	326	463
Macrophages	45	32	40	117
Neutrophils	19	12	4	35
T-cells	35	119	196	350
Plasma cells	99	39	44	182
All cell types	1013	971	1033	3017

Figure 1. Bar plot of the number of enriched genes in the cell types of the thyroid gland, divided by specificity category

Thyroid gland cell type enriched transcriptome: Illustrative examples

Parafollicular cells

Parafollicular cells, also known as clear cells, or C-cells, are a neuroendocrine cell found in the thyroid, whose main function is to produce and secrete calcitonin (CALCA), which helps to regulate calcium homeostasis. Other genes classified as having specificity in parafollicular cells include Dopa decarboxylase (DDC), an enzyme that catalyzes a range of different decarboxylation reactions.

CALCA - Thyroid gland
CALCA
DDC - Thyroid gland
DDC

Thyroid glandular cells

Thyroid glandular cells, or follicular cells, are the major cell type in the thyroid gland, and regulate thyroid function including the production and secretion of thyroid hormones. The hormone triodothyronine (T3) is formed from thyroxine (T4), via the action of enzyme iodotyrosine deiodinase (IYD). Cystathionine Gamma-Lyase (CTH), a cytoplasmic enzyme, FKBP Prolyl Isomerase 5 (FKBP5), a member of the immunophilin protein family, which plays a role in immunoregulation, protein folding and trafficking, and Monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA), a mitochondrial enzyme, were all classified as having specificity in glandular cells in the thyroid.

IYD - Thyroid gland
IYD
CTH - Thyroid gland
CTH
FKBP5 - Thyroid gland
FKBP5
MAOA - Thyroid gland
MAOA