Mapping Retinal Gene Expression to Cell Classes: Insights into Retinal Circadian Rhythms.
- 1Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK.
- 2Neuro-Ophthalmology and Adult Strabismus, Stein Eye Institute & Doheny Eye Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Abstract
Many retinal processes are regulated by circadian rhythms. Previous studies have identified genes with rhythmic retinal expression over a 24 h cycle, but the cell class specificity of many of these genes remains unknown. Here we present a mathematical model, based on existing human retinal single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data and validated using known retinal markers, which assigns cell classes to genes showing uniquely enriched expression in that class. This model assigns retinal cell class specificity to over 10,000 human genes and provides potential novel candidates for retinal cell markers. Additionally, the model enables transcriptomic datasets to be investigated through cell class enrichment analysis. We apply this model to circadian-expressed genes from published mouse ocular transcriptomic data. Specific cell classes were assigned to over 35% of these genes, many of which have little to no previous literature denoting their retinal localisation and role. We also demonstrate significant enrichment of photoreceptor-associated transcripts, many of which are associated with phototransduction and outer segment turnover. The methods and data presented here provide a resource for researchers interested in the cell class specific expression of retinal genes and provide new insight into the cellular basis of retinal circadian rhythms.
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BibTeX
@article{buckland2026mapping,
title = {{Mapping Retinal Gene Expression to Cell Classes: Insights into Retinal Circadian Rhythms.}},
author = {Julia Buckland and Michael J Gilhooley and Mark W Hankins and Ma'ayan Semo and Stuart N Peirson},
journal = {Clocks \& sleep},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/clockssleep8040060},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42924736},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Mapping Retinal Gene Expression to Cell Classes: Insights into Retinal Circadian Rhythms.
AU - Julia Buckland
AU - Michael J Gilhooley
AU - Mark W Hankins
AU - Ma'ayan Semo
AU - Stuart N Peirson
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/25
JO - Clocks & sleep
DO - 10.3390/clockssleep8040060
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42924736
AB - Many retinal processes are regulated by circadian rhythms. Previous studies have identified genes with rhythmic retinal expression over a 24 h cycle, but the cell class specificity of many of these genes remains unknown. Here we present a mathematical model, based on existing human retinal single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data and validated using known retinal markers, which assigns cell classes to genes showing uniquely enriched expression in that class. This model assigns retinal cell class specificity to over 10,000 human genes and provides potential novel candidates for retinal cell markers. Additionally, the model enables transcriptomic datasets to be investigated through cell class enrichment analysis. We apply this model to circadian-expressed genes from published mouse ocular transcriptomic data. Specific cell classes were assigned to over 35% of these genes, many of which have little to no previous literature denoting their retinal localisation and role. We also demonstrate significant enrichment of photoreceptor-associated transcripts, many of which are associated with phototransduction and outer segment turnover. The methods and data presented here provide a resource for researchers interested in the cell class specific expression of retinal genes and provide new insight into the cellular basis of retinal circadian rhythms.
SN - 2624-5175
ER -