title: Unipotent, Atoh1+ progenitors maintain the Merkel cell population in embryonic and adult mice.
abstract: Resident progenitor cells in mammalian skin generate new cells as a part of tissue homeostasis. We sought to identify the progenitors of Merkel cells, a unique skin cell type that plays critical roles in mechanosensation. We found that some Atoh1-expressing cells in the hairy skin and whisker follicles are mitotically active at embryonic and postnatal ages. Genetic fate-mapping revealed that these Atoh1-expressing cells give rise solely to Merkel cells. Furthermore, selective ablation of Atoh1(+) skin cells in adult mice led to a permanent reduction in Merkel cell numbers, demonstrating that other stem cell populations are incapable of producing Merkel cells. These data identify a novel, unipotent progenitor population in the skin that gives rise to Merkel cells both during development and adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Center for Neurosciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260.
authors.forename: Margaret C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106.
authors.forename: Erin G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Reed-Geaghan
authors.affiliation: Richard King Mellon Institute for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224.
authors.forename: Alexa M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bolock
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujiyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Mikio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoshino
authors.affiliation: Richard King Mellon Institute for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15224 stephen.maricich@chp.edu.
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Maricich
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D047108:Embryonic Development; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000166:cytology; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D018862:Merkel Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D007633:Keratins; C500943:Atoh1 protein, mouse