TF-Marker: A comprehensive manually curated database for transcription factors and related markers in specific cell and tissue types in human.

Here, we developed the TF-Marker database (TF-Marker, http://bio.liclab.net/TF-Marker/) which is committed to a comprehensive manual curation of TFs and related markers with experimental evidence in specific cell and tissue types in human. Currently, through reviewing 2,091 published literature, we have manually classified TFs and related markers into five types according to their functions: 1) TF: TFs, which regulate the expression of markers; 2) T Marker: markers, which are regulated by TFs (TF and T Marker pairs can identify cell types more specifically); 3) I Marker: markers, which influence the activity of TFs (I Markers can also influence the development of specific cells and tissues); 4) TFMarker: TFs, which play roles as markers (TFMarkers are cell/tissue-specific TFs used as cell markers in biology experiments); and 5) TF Pmarker: TFs, which play roles as potential markers. By curating thousands of published literature, 5,905 entries including 1,316 TFs, 1,092 T Markers, 473 I Markers, 1,600 TFMarkers and 1,424 TF Pmarkers, were annotated in 383 cell types and 95 tissue types in human. Moreover, TF-Marker divided markers into disease markers and tissue/cell-specific markers. TF-Marker is an elaborate database, which provides TFs and related markers supported by experimental evidence. We believe TF-Marker will provide strong support for research into cell/tissue-specific TFs and related markers.