OBSERVATION OF MERKEL CELLS WITH SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY

This paper first elucidated the overall morphology of Merkel cells in the rat touch dome with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Quinacrine-fluorescent Merkel cells in the touch dome were exposed by enzymatic treatment following application of dithiothreitol, photographed and then fixed. By referring to the photograph, the same fluorescent cells were easily identified under the SEM. Enzymatically isolated Merkel cells were also examined with SEM. Unlike quinacrine negative, ordinary epidermal cells, the Merkel cells had numerous finger-like processes, ranging from 0.1 to 0.25 mum in diameter and attaining to 2.5 mum in length.