A Hormone Cell Atlas maps the human endocrine system at cellular resolution.

Summary

This cross-tissue single-cell resource maps hormone-producing and hormone-receiving cell types across 47 human tissues, defining endocrine signatures and unexpected hormone sources. It predicts endocrine feedback loops and links specific cell populations to monogenic endocrine disorders, providing a comprehensive framework to interrogate hormonal biology.

Key Findings

• Mapped 379 hormone/receptor genes across ~14 million single cells and nuclei from 47 human tissues.
• Identified hormone-producing and -receiving cell types with tissue-specific and cross-tissue endocrine signatures using hormone2cell.
• Predicted non-classical hormone expression sites (e.g., secretin in plasmacytoid dendritic cells) and inferred convergent hormone actions and feedback loops.
• Linked specific cell populations to monogenic endocrine disorders; adipocyte cross-tissue integration revealed dynamic endocrine programs.

Clinical Implications

While not immediately practice-changing, this atlas enables prioritization of cell targets for endocrine disorders, informs tissue-specific adverse effect risks, and accelerates translation (e.g., target validation, biomarker development).

Limitations

• Cross-sectional transcriptomics cannot establish causality or dynamic secretion.
• Protein-level secretion and systemic hormone flux were not directly measured; external validation in functional assays is needed.

Future Directions

Integrate spatial proteomics and circulating hormone measurements; perturbation studies to test predicted producer–receiver circuits; apply to disease tissues for target/biomarker validation.