The cellular basis of mechanosensory Merkel-cell innervation during development

ELife
Blair A JenkinsEllen A Lumpkin

Abstract

Touch sensation is initiated by mechanosensory neurons that innervate distinct skin structures; however, little is known about how these neurons are patterned during mammalian skin development. We explored the cellular basis of touch-receptor patterning in mouse touch domes, which contain mechanosensory Merkel cell-neurite complexes and abut primary hair follicles. At embryonic stage 16.5 (E16.5), touch domes emerge as patches of Merkel cells and keratinocytes clustered with a previously unsuspected population of Bmp4-expressing dermal cells. Epidermal Noggin overexpression at E14.5 disrupted touch-dome formation but not hair-follicle specification, demonstrating a temporally distinct requirement for BMP signaling in placode-derived structures. Surprisingly, two neuronal populations preferentially targeted touch domes during development but only one persisted in mature touch domes. Finally, Keratin-17-expressing keratinocytes but not Merkel cells were necessary to establish innervation patterns during development. These findings identify key cell types and signaling pathways required for targeting Merkel-cell afferents to discrete mechanosensory compartments.

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Citations

Apr 20, 2019·Experimental Dermatology·Jing Feng, Hongzhen Hu
Oct 8, 2020·EMBO Molecular Medicine·Lukas LeiendeckerAnna C Obenauf
Nov 25, 2020·Annual Review of Pathology·James A DeCaprio
Jan 18, 2021·Current Opinion in Neurobiology·Artur Kania
Feb 4, 2021·Current Opinion in Cell Biology·Anita Gola, Elaine Fuchs
Jun 22, 2021·Experimental Dermatology·Liat Oss-Ronen, Idan Cohen

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