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. 2019 Jan-Mar;9(1):9-13.
doi: 10.4103/ijabmr.IJABMR_34_18.

Merkel Cells: A Collective Review of Current Concepts

Jacob Abraham  1 , Sherin Mathew  2
Affiliations

Merkel Cells: A Collective Review of Current Concepts

Jacob Abraham et al. Int J Appl Basic Med Res. 2019 Jan-Mar.

Abstract

Merkel cells (MCs) constitute a very unique population of postmitotic cells scattered along the dermo-epidermal junction. These cells that have synaptic contacts with somatosensory afferents are regarded to have a pivotal role in sensory discernment. Several concerns exist till date as to their origin, multiplication, and relevance in skin biology. The article, a collective review of literature extracted from PubMed search and dermatology books, provides novel insights into the physiology of MCs and their recent advances.

Keywords: Epidermis/embryology; Merkel cell; epidermis/ultrastructure; human skin; keratins; mechanoreceptors; mucosa; nerve endings/ultrastructure.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Merkel cell in normal skin (1) Stratum corneum, (2) Stratum lucidum, (3) Stratum granulosum, (4) Stratum spinosum, (5) Stratum basale, (6) Keratinocyte, (7) Langerhans cell, (8) Melanocyte, (9) Merkel cell, (10) Dermis
Figure 2
Figure 2
Merkels corpuscle (1) Keratinocyte, (2) Merkel cell, (3) Microvilli, (4) Lobulated nuclei with few nucleoli and intranuclear rodlet, (5) Dense core granules, (6) Tactile meniscus
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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