Merkel Cells Activate Sensory Neural Pathways through Adrenergic Synapses

• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.10.034
• Publication Date: 2018-11-08T15:40:07Z
• Authors: Benjamin U. Hoffman; Yoshichika Baba; Theanne N. Griffith; Eugene V. Mosharov; Seung-Hyun Woo; Daniel D. Roybal; Gerard Karsenty; Ardem Patapoutian; David Sulzer; Ellen A. Lumpkin
• Keywords: Merkel cell

Epithelial-neuronal signaling is essential for sensory encoding in touch, itch, and nociception; however, little known about the release mechanisms neurotransmitter receptors through which skin cells govern neuronal excitability. Merkel are mechanosensory epidermal that have long been proposed to activate afferents chemical synaptic transmission. We employed a set of classical criteria neurotransmission as framework test this hypothesis. RNA sequencing adult mouse demonstrated they express presynaptic molecules biosynthetic machinery adrenergic Moreover, live-cell imaging directly mediate activity- VMAT-dependent fluorescent catecholamine analogs. Touch-evoked firing Merkel-cell was inhibited either by pre-synaptic silencing SNARE-mediated vesicle from or deletion β2-adrenergic receptors. Together, these results identify both pre- postsynaptic excite encode gentle touch.Video AbstracteyJraWQiOiI4ZjUxYWNhY2IzYjhiNjNlNzFlYmIzYWFmYTU5NmZmYyIsImFsZyI6IlJTMjU2In0.eyJzdWIiOiIyYjNjMDdjNWU5MjdhZDljNWYyMzg0ZTJjNjk1ZmQxNCIsImtpZCI6IjhmNTFhY2FjYjNiOGI2M2U3MWViYjNhYWZhNTk2ZmZjIiwiZXhwIjoxNjc3NzU4OTUwfQ.nLUTHym69Mv8-4M_XzF058JZU2a__6fyq0jQK_5SsTgSSHtK8NDRU9-_2DmS2q-EaasZB7L-0zEX-PrktDBaG81zjVRWO8OTzj_f3AtwHcYo1r5tL5AFiyHmWCL-ddsYsLJoO1Sn7AFI9lr66B1PFsc-WqatFFTo62iHTtl9rB04umXYqN0dflA2HJwGH6VWEJFGBc0xNDAXTi5a7b3ar3aNxOYVtPIfg8nPDOYTDz3C1jUKvybaUZ1LDM6aL6AOxKPdFXPTK-5DmALG-7smWiB2C-CAX7dQEypgQNjLtGkQX7VohLxPWD1E5tbpYgMd6grLR1DtZpPVKb0wJLABSg(mp4, (39.47 MB) Download video