Hartschuh W, Weihe E, Yanaihara N
Universitäts-Hautklinik, Universität Heidelberg, FRG.
Arch Histol Cytol. 1989;52 Suppl:423-31. doi: 10.1679/aohc.52.suppl_423.
By the use of light microscopic immunohistochemistry, epidermal Merkel cells have been examined for the coexistence of some neuropeptides and chromogranin A (CGA). Peptide and CGA-immunophenotypes were similar in adult Merkel cells but variable in fetal skin, where CGA preceded the expression of peptides which were partly expressed only in a subpopulation of Merkel cells from hair follicles. Thus, only Substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were expressed in a subpopulation of Merkel cells from hair follicles. There were similar Merkel cell densities visualized on consecutive paraffin sections by the use of antisera against peptides, CGA and cytokeratin offering useful tools for a future systematical complementary mapping of Merkel cell populations in various species, locations and developmental stages. Electron microscopic immunohistochemistry has shown that CGA-immunoreaction is localized in the secretory granules which, again, supports the view that the Merkel cell is a paraneuron, i.e., neurosecretory in function.
通过光学显微镜免疫组织化学方法，对表皮默克尔细胞中一些神经肽和嗜铬粒蛋白A（CGA）的共存情况进行了检测。在成年默克尔细胞中，肽和CGA免疫表型相似，但在胎儿皮肤中有所不同，在胎儿皮肤中CGA先于肽的表达，而肽仅部分表达于毛囊默克尔细胞亚群中。因此，仅P物质（SP）和降钙素基因相关肽（CGRP）在毛囊默克尔细胞亚群中表达。通过使用针对肽、CGA和细胞角蛋白的抗血清，在连续石蜡切片上观察到相似的默克尔细胞密度，这为未来系统地对不同物种、位置和发育阶段的默克尔细胞群体进行互补定位提供了有用的工具。电子显微镜免疫组织化学显示，CGA免疫反应定位于分泌颗粒中，这再次支持了默克尔细胞是副神经元的观点，即其功能为神经分泌。
