The acquisition of mechanoreceptive competence by human digital Merkel cells and sensory corpuscles during development: An immunohistochemical study of PIEZO2.
Development
Mechanoproteins
Meissner corpuscles
Merkel cells
PIEZO2
Pacinian corpuscles
Journal
Annals of anatomy = Anatomischer Anzeiger : official organ of the Anatomische Gesellschaft
ISSN: 1618-0402
Titre abrégé: Ann Anat
Pays: Germany
ID NLM: 100963897
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Aug 2022
Aug 2022
Historique:
received:
17
02
2022
revised:
05
04
2022
accepted:
20
04
2022
pubmed:
7
5
2022
medline:
22
6
2022
entrez:
6
5
2022
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
PIEZO2 is a transmembrane protein forming part of an ion channel required for mechanotransduction. In humans, PIEZO2 is present in axon terminals of adult Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles, as well as Merkel cells in Merkel cell-neurite complexes. To study the acquisition of functional capability for mechanotransduction of developing type I slowly adapting low-threshold mechanoreceptors, i.e., Merkel cell-neurite complexes, a battery of immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence techniques was performed on human skin specimens covering the whole development and growth, from 11 weeks of estimated gestational age to 20 years of life. In addition, developmental expression of PIEZO2 type I (Meissner's corpuscles) and type II (Pacinian corpuscles) rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors was studied in parallel. The first evidence of Merkel cells showing the typical morphology and placement was at 13 weeks of estimated gestation age, and at this time positive immunoreactivity for PIEZO2 was achieved. PIEZO2 expression in axons terminals started at 23 WEGA in Pacinian corpuscles and at 36 WEGA in the case of Meissner corpuscles. The occurrence of PIEZO2 in Merkel cells, Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles was maintained for all the time investigated. Interestingly PIEZO2 was absent in most Aβ type I slowly adapting low-threshold mechanoreceptors that innervate MC while it was regularly present in most Aβ type I and type II rapidly adapting low-threshold mechanoreceptors that supplies Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles. The present results provide evidence that human cutaneous mechanoreceptors could perform mechanotransduction already during embryonic development.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
PIEZO2 is a transmembrane protein forming part of an ion channel required for mechanotransduction. In humans, PIEZO2 is present in axon terminals of adult Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles, as well as Merkel cells in Merkel cell-neurite complexes.
METHODS
METHODS
To study the acquisition of functional capability for mechanotransduction of developing type I slowly adapting low-threshold mechanoreceptors, i.e., Merkel cell-neurite complexes, a battery of immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence techniques was performed on human skin specimens covering the whole development and growth, from 11 weeks of estimated gestational age to 20 years of life. In addition, developmental expression of PIEZO2 type I (Meissner's corpuscles) and type II (Pacinian corpuscles) rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors was studied in parallel.
RESULTS
RESULTS
The first evidence of Merkel cells showing the typical morphology and placement was at 13 weeks of estimated gestation age, and at this time positive immunoreactivity for PIEZO2 was achieved. PIEZO2 expression in axons terminals started at 23 WEGA in Pacinian corpuscles and at 36 WEGA in the case of Meissner corpuscles. The occurrence of PIEZO2 in Merkel cells, Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles was maintained for all the time investigated. Interestingly PIEZO2 was absent in most Aβ type I slowly adapting low-threshold mechanoreceptors that innervate MC while it was regularly present in most Aβ type I and type II rapidly adapting low-threshold mechanoreceptors that supplies Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
The present results provide evidence that human cutaneous mechanoreceptors could perform mechanotransduction already during embryonic development.
Identifiants
pubmed: 35523396
pii: S0940-9602(22)00068-1
doi: 10.1016/j.aanat.2022.151953
pii:
doi:
Substances chimiques
Ion Channels
0
PIEZO2 protein, human
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
151953Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Conflict of interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.