Merkel Cells in the Fingertips
That a finger can distinguish the texture of satin from suede is an exquisite sensory discrimination. Largely relying on small sensory organs in the fingertips called Merkel discs containing Merkel Cells. Jianguo Gu, Ph.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has now unraveled how the sensory information is processed in the Merkel discs. As well as further conveyed to the ending of a sensory nerve, the start of its journey to the brain. Such molecular understanding about the sensory information transmission between Merkel cells and nerve endings could be radical. And may lay the foundation to treat patients' intense…