Merkel cells are a touchy subject.
editorial · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 24766802.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1016/j.cell.2014.04.010.
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Abstract
How the Merkel cell-neurite complex transduces and encodes touch remains unclear. Ikeda et al. now implicate Merkel cells as the primary sites of tactile transduction and the ion channel Piezo2 as the chief mechanotransducer. Surprisingly, Merkel cells also mediate allodynia, providing a new cellular target for chronic pain treatment.
Medical subject headings
- Ion Channels
- Merkel Cells
- Touch
- Vibrissae