title: Sensory innervation of the female human umbilical skin: morphological studies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sensory stimuli are conducted by several cutaneous sensory nerves and tactile corpuscles. The latter are specialized sensory organs that represent the starting point of many afferent sensory pathways. To date, our knowledge about the distribution of the sensory innervation in the umbilical skin of females is incomplete.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the morphology of the cutaneous innervation of the normal female umbilical skin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biopsies of normal umbilical skin were obtained from female patients undergoing umbilical hernial repair. The specimens were processed for both immunohistological (antibodies against PGP9.5, pan-neuronal marker, and S-100 protein, marker of Schwann cells) and ultrastructural (transmission electron microscopy) examinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The authors found abundant genital end-bulb-like structures, numerous epidermal and dermal Merkel cells, Meissner and Ruffini corpuscles, intraepidermal nerve terminals, and multiple free nerve endings surrounding the ducts and acini of the sweat glands.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The umbilical skin of females has abundant sensory innervation similar to that of the glans penis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. heba_saadeldien2003@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Heba M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Saad El-Dien
authors.forename: Mahmoud Rezk
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Abdelwahed Hussein
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Oteify
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006554:Hernia, Umbilical / Q000601:surgery; D059685:Herniorrhaphy; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018862:Merkel Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation*; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase / Q000032:analysis; D014472:Umbilicus
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009418:S100 Proteins; C482860:UCHL1 protein, human; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase