Nahass G T, Penneys N S
Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Louis University Medical Center, MO 63104.
Br J Dermatol. 1994 Nov;131(5):664-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1994.tb04979.x.
Merkel cells are an integral component of the cutaneous nervous system. They are commonly associated with dermal nerves under normal physiological conditions. We postulated that Merkel cells may be present in increased numbers within the epidermis overlying benign peripheral nerve sheath tumours such as neurilemomas and neurofibromas. Paraffin-embedded skin biopsy specimens from 21 patients with neurilemomas and 26 with neurofibromas, were analysed for the presence of Merkel cells using a standard immunohistochemical assay (avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex system) with an antibody to cytokeratin 8 (CAM 5.2). Ten cases of leiomyomas were examined as controls. Merkel cells were identified in the interfollicular area of the basal cell layer overlying 14 of 21 (67%) neurilemomas and nine of 26 (35%) neurofibromas. Merkel cells were more frequently observed in increased numbers in a linear array within the basal cell layer in neurilemomas than in neurofibromas, where they were found as individual cells. No Merkel cells were found in the epidermis overlying leiomyomas. The results of this study suggest that Merkel cells are quantitatively increased in the basal cell layer of the epidermis overlying benign peripheral nerve sheath tumours, particularly neurilemomas.
默克尔细胞是皮肤神经系统的一个组成部分。在正常生理条件下，它们通常与真皮神经相关联。我们推测，在诸如神经鞘瘤和神经纤维瘤等良性周围神经鞘瘤上方的表皮中，默克尔细胞的数量可能会增加。使用针对细胞角蛋白8（CAM 5.2）的抗体，通过标准免疫组织化学检测（抗生物素蛋白-生物素-过氧化物酶复合物系统），对21例神经鞘瘤患者和26例神经纤维瘤患者的石蜡包埋皮肤活检标本进行默克尔细胞检测分析。选取10例平滑肌瘤病例作为对照。在21例神经鞘瘤中的14例（67%）和26例神经纤维瘤中的9例（35%）上方的基底细胞层的毛囊间区域中发现了默克尔细胞。与神经纤维瘤相比，在神经鞘瘤的基底细胞层中，更常观察到默克尔细胞数量增加且呈线性排列，而在神经纤维瘤中它们以单个细胞形式存在。在平滑肌瘤上方的表皮中未发现默克尔细胞。本研究结果表明，在良性周围神经鞘瘤尤其是神经鞘瘤上方的表皮基底细胞层中，默克尔细胞数量在定量上有所增加。
