默克尔细胞的发育研究进展

Advances in the Development of Merkel Cells

默克尔细胞是一种感知机械力,参与识别物体外形和纹理的轻触觉感受器,位于皮肤表皮基底层和体内感知机械力的上皮组织中。作为感知机械力的感受器细胞,默克尔细胞在个体的生存中非常重要。多种信号通路以及微环境因子参与默克尔细胞的发育调控,但其发育机制仍然没有被完全研究清楚。该文对默克尔细胞的来源及其发育中涉及的相关信号通路等进行调研总结,概述现有默克尔细胞发育相关的调控机制。了解默克尔细胞的发育过程有助于优化其体外培养体系,从而为研究默克尔细胞提供更好的研究系统,这将对触觉异常相关疾病的发生机制及其治疗策略具有重要意义。

Merkel cells are light touch receptors that sense mechanical force and participate in identifying the shape and texture of objects.They are located in the basal layer of skin epidermis and the epithelial tissue that senses mechanical force in vivo.As receptors,Merkel cells are important in individual survival.A variety of signaling pathways are involved in the development and regulation of Merkel cells.However,the developmental mechanism is still not fully understood.This review summarizes the origin of Merkel cells and the related signaling pathways involved in their development,and outlines the existing regulatory mechanisms of Merkel cells.Understanding the development mechanism of Merkel cells may help to optimize the long-term culture system in vitro,so as to provide a better research system for Merkel cells study,which will also be of great significance to the pathogenesis and treatment strategies of tactile abnormalities related diseases.