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.

2803 genes were predicted to have cell type specificity in the thyroid gland.

11 cell types profiled
908 very highly enriched genes
911 highly enriched genes
984 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	21	2	1	24
Thyroid glandular cells	641	515	316	1472
Mitotic cells (Thyroid)	34	25	13	72
Endothelial cells	7	18	20	45
Smooth muscle cells	16	25	32	73
Fibroblasts	12	119	310	441
Macrophages	41	33	38	112
Neutrophils	19	12	5	36
T-cells	29	119	200	348
Plasma cells	88	43	49	180
All cell types	908	911	984	2803

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