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Identification of conserved canonical marker genes in human and mouse adrenal glands using Visium spatial transcriptomics

dc.abstract.enThe adrenal glands are essential endocrine organs whose cortex and medulla maintain systemic homeostasis and mediate stress responses via steroid hormone and catecholamine secretion. Despite anatomical and functional similarities between human and mouse adrenal glands, notable species-specific differences exist. Here, we leveraged spatial transcriptomics (10× Genomics Visium) to comprehensively map gene expression in adult human and mouse adrenal glands, aiming to identify canonical marker genes conserved across species. The analysis was based on a 31-year-old female human sample (GEO dataset) and four 10-week-old male CD-1 mice. Human adrenal sections were processed using optimal cutting temperature (OCT) embedding, whereas mouse adrenal sections were processed as formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples, highlighting differences in sample preparation. Using unsupervised clustering of spatial gene expression data, we delineated distinct adrenal cortex and medulla zones in both species, confirming known zonation patterns. Our cross-species analysis revealed highly conserved spatial expression of key known marker genes characteristic of the adrenal cortex (e.g., CYP11B2 for ZG, CYP11B1 for ZF) and medullary chromaffin cells (e.g., TH), as well as a core set of additional marker genes previously less characterized in adrenal biology. By integrating transcriptional profiles, we generated a catalogue of conserved canonical marker genes that define adrenal zonation and function in both humans and mice. These results highlight the fundamental molecular conservation of adrenal gland organization and support the translational value of mouse models in adrenal research. Our findings provide new insights into the evolutionary preservation of adrenal function and a valuable resource for studies on adrenal physiology and disease.
dc.affiliationWydział Rolnictwa, Ogrodnictwa i Biotechnologii
dc.affiliation.instituteKatedra Biochemii i Biotechnologii
dc.contributor.authorBlatkiewicz, Małgorzata
dc.contributor.authorSzyszka, Marta
dc.contributor.authorHryhorowicz, Szymon
dc.contributor.authorSuszyńska-Zajczyk, Joanna
dc.contributor.authorPorzionato, Andrea
dc.contributor.authorPlewiński, Adam
dc.contributor.authorMalendowicz, Ludwik K.
dc.contributor.authorRucinski, Marcin
dc.date.access2026-01-13
dc.date.accessioned2026-01-13T08:42:59Z
dc.date.available2026-01-13T08:42:59Z
dc.date.copyright2025-12-24
dc.date.issued2026
dc.description.abstract<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p> The adrenal glands are essential endocrine organs whose cortex and medulla maintain systemic homeostasis and mediate stress responses via steroid hormone and catecholamine secretion. Despite anatomical and functional similarities between human and mouse adrenal glands, notable species-specific differences exist. Here, we leveraged spatial transcriptomics (10× Genomics Visium) to comprehensively map gene expression in adult human and mouse adrenal glands, aiming to identify canonical marker genes conserved across species. The analysis was based on a 31-year-old female human sample (GEO dataset) and four 10-week-old male CD-1 mice. Human adrenal sections were processed using optimal cutting temperature (OCT) embedding, whereas mouse adrenal sections were processed as formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples, highlighting differences in sample preparation. Using unsupervised clustering of spatial gene expression data, we delineated distinct adrenal cortex and medulla zones in both species, confirming known zonation patterns. Our cross-species analysis revealed highly conserved spatial expression of key known marker genes characteristic of the adrenal cortex (e.g., <jats:italic>CYP11B2</jats:italic> for ZG, <jats:italic>CYP11B1</jats:italic> for ZF) and medullary chromaffin cells (e.g., <jats:italic>TH</jats:italic> ), as well as a core set of additional marker genes previously less characterized in adrenal biology. By integrating transcriptional profiles, we generated a catalogue of conserved canonical marker genes that define adrenal zonation and function in both humans and mice. These results highlight the fundamental molecular conservation of adrenal gland organization and support the translational value of mouse models in adrenal research. Our findings provide new insights into the evolutionary preservation of adrenal function and a valuable resource for studies on adrenal physiology and disease. </jats:p>
dc.description.accesstimeat_publication
dc.description.bibliographyil., bibliogr.
dc.description.financepublication_nocost
dc.description.financecost0,00
dc.description.if2,1
dc.description.number1
dc.description.points100
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume164
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s00418-025-02446-6
dc.identifier.eissn1432-119X
dc.identifier.issn0948-6143
dc.identifier.urihttps://sciencerep.up.poznan.pl/handle/item/6765
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00418-025-02446-6
dc.languageen
dc.relation.ispartofHistochemistry and Cell Biology
dc.relation.pagesart. 2
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.sciencecloudnosend
dc.share.typeOTHER
dc.subject.enadrenal gland architecture
dc.subject.enspatial transcriptomics
dc.subject.encanonical marker genes
dc.titleIdentification of conserved canonical marker genes in human and mouse adrenal glands using Visium spatial transcriptomics
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.issue1
oaire.citation.volume164