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

Fei, Lijiang; Huang-Doran, Isabel; Lawler, Katherine; Yu, Yizhou; Pett, Jan Patrick; Méndez-Acevedo, Kevin M; Shah, Dinesh; Margalef-Rieres, Jaume et al. · Science · 2026

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Hormones act across tissues and organs to coordinate physiological functions. Drawing inspiration from the Human Cell Atlas, we analyzed expression of 379 hormone and receptor genes in a transcriptomic dataset comprising 14 million single cells and nuclei across 47 human tissues. Using hormone2cell, we mapped putative hormone-producing and hormone-receiving cell types, defining tissue-specific and cross-tissue endocrine signatures. We predicted non-classical sites of hormone expression, including secretin in plasmacytoid dendritic cells, inferred convergent hormone action and endocrine feedback loops, and implicated cell populations in monogenic endocrine disorders. In a cross-tissue integration of adipocyte datasets, we uncovered dynamic endocrine programs across depots, within adipocyte subtypes and through adipogenic differentiation. Cumulatively, the Hormone Cell Atlas (hormonecellatlas.org.uk) provides a comprehensive framework for dissecting hormonal impact on health and disease.