In humans, Merkel cells along with Meissner's corpuscles occur in the superficial skin layers, and are most densely clustered beneath the ridges of the highly sensitive fingertips which make up fingerprints, and less so in the palms and forearm. Microscopically they are relatively large, myelinated nerve endings. In mammals, Merkel nerve endings have a wide distribution and are found in the basal layer of glabrous and hairy skin, in hair follicles, and in oral and anal mucosa. A single afferent nerve fibre branches to innervate up to 90 such endings. This is sometimes referred to as a Merkel cell–neurite complex, or a Merkel disc receptor. Merkel cells in the basal epidermis of the skin store serotonin which they release to associated nerve endings in response to pressure.Įach ending consists of a Merkel cell in close apposition with an enlarged nerve terminal. They are nerve endings and provide information on mechanical pressure, position, and deep static touch features, such as shapes and edges.
Merkel nerve endings are mechanoreceptors, a type of sensory receptor, that are found in the basal epidermis and hair follicles. JSTOR ( June 2015) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message).Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.įind sources: 'Merkel nerve ending' – news Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. This article needs additional citations for verification.