| First Author | Jenkins BA | Year | 2019 |
| Journal | Elife | Volume | 8 |
| PubMed ID | 30794158 | Mgi Jnum | J:275123 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6304149 | Doi | 10.7554/eLife.42633 |
| Citation | Jenkins BA, et al. (2019) The cellular basis of mechanosensory Merkel-cell innervation during development. Elife 8:e42633 |
| abstractText | 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. |
