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Review
. 2013 Mar;1279(1):13-21.
doi: 10.1111/nyas.12057.

Neurotransmitters and synaptic components in the Merkel cell-neurite complex, a gentle-touch receptor

Srdjan Maksimovic  1 , Yoshichika Baba, Ellen A Lumpkin
Affiliations
Review

Neurotransmitters and synaptic components in the Merkel cell-neurite complex, a gentle-touch receptor

Srdjan Maksimovic et al. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2013 Mar.

Abstract

Merkel cells are an enigmatic group of rare cells found in the skin of vertebrates. Most make contacts with somatosensory afferents to form Merkel cell-neurite complexes, which are gentle-touch receptors that initiate slowly adapting type I responses. The function of Merkel cells within the complex remains debated despite decades of research. Numerous anatomical studies demonstrate that Merkel cells form synaptic-like contacts with sensory afferent terminals. Moreover, recent molecular analysis reveals that Merkel cells express dozens of presynaptic molecules that are essential for synaptic vesicle release in neurons. Merkel cells also produce a host of neuroactive substances that can act as fast excitatory neurotransmitters or neuromodulators. Here, we review the major neurotransmitters found in Merkel cells and discuss these findings in relation to the potential function of Merkel cells in touch reception.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Merkel cell-neurite complexes in mouse whisker follicles (A) and touch domes (B) from the mouse hairy skin. Merkel cells, marked by keratin 8 (Krt 8; green) are in intimate contact with myelinated sensory afferents, visualized with antibodies against neurofilament heavy chain (NFH; red).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Gene transcripts involved in synaptic transmission and neurotransmitter release are enriched in Merkel cells. This network is a product of a Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of transcripts enriched in mouse Merkel cells. Compared with the mouse genome overall, genes associated with synaptic transmission and neurotransmitter release are significantly overrepresented in Merkel cells. Node size indicates the number of genes associated with a particular GO term (function). For reference, the absolute (n) and relative (%) sizes of nodes associated with synaptic transmission and neurotransmitter release are indicated. Node color indicates the significance level (P value) of enrichment. Arrows show parent-child node relationships.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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