Tissue Preservation and Biobanking

Transcriptome data on the quantitative numbers of transcriptional variants, expressed in primary cells offer essential clues in cellular functions and biological processes. We obtained transcriptomes from intestinal primary cells (smooth muscle cells, SMC; interstitial cells of Cajal, ICC; PDGFRα+ cells, fibroblast-like cells) and tissues (jejunal and colonic smooth muscle and mucosa). We built “Smooth Muscle Transcriptome Browser” and “Smooth Muscle Genome Browser” that can offer genetic references and expression profiles of all transcripts expressed in SMC, ICC, PDGFRα+ cells, associated jejunal and colonic tissues. Using these browsers, analyzing the transcriptomics, we have identified a unique set of cell signature genes for the

three cell types including growth factors, transcription factors, epigenetic enzymes/regulators, protein kinases/phosphatases, cytokines/chemokines, receptors, and ion channels/transporters. We found that the cell signature genes are dysregulated in many gastrointestinal diseases and can serve as new pathological markers and therapeutic targets. Taken together, Smooth Muscle Transcriptome Browser and Smooth Muscle Genome Browser bring new insights into the cellular and biological functions of primary SMC, ICC, and PDGFRα+ cells in gastrointestinal smooth muscle biology and diseases.