title: Neural crest origin of mammalian Merkel cells.
abstract: Here, we provide evidence for the neural crest origin of mammalian Merkel cells. Together with nerve terminals, Merkel cells form slowly adapting cutaneous mechanoreceptors that transduce steady indentation in hairy and glabrous skin. We have determined the ontogenetic origin of Merkel cells in Wnt1-cre/R26R compound transgenic mice, in which neural crest cells are marked indelibly. Merkel cells in whiskers and interfollicular locations express the transgene, beta-galactosidase, identifying them as neural crest descendants. We thus conclude that murine Merkel cells originate from the neural crest.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
authors.forename: Viktor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Szeder
authors.forename: Milos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grim
authors.forename: Zdenek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Halata
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sieber-Blum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics; D018862:Merkel Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; C495246:Wnt1 protein, mouse; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases; D001616:beta-Galactosidase