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Merkel Cells Are Essential for Light-Touch Responses

2009; American Association for the Advancement of Science; Volume: 324; Issue: 5934 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1126/science.1172890

1095-9203

Stephen M. Maricich, Scott A. Wellnitz, Aislyn M. Nelson, Daine R. Lesniak, Gregory J. Gerling, Ellen A. Lumpkin, Huda Y. Zoghbi,

Perovskite Materials and Applications

Mysterious Merkel cells Anatomists have known about the existence of Merkel cells in our skin for over a century. However, the function of these cells has been unclear and controversial. To solve this mystery, Maricich et al. (p. 1580 ) created a genetic deletion of Merkel cells. When Atoh1, a transcription factor expressed by Merkel cells, was conditionally deleted in the skin, Merkel cells were completely absent from Atoh1CKO mice. Using ex vivo skin and nerve preparations from the animals showed that Merkel cells are needed to properly encode light touch sensation in the skin.