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Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, Vol. 46, 1329-1334, November 1998, Copyright © 1998, The Histochemical Society, Inc.

ARTICLE

Identification of Merkel Cells by an Antibody to Villin

Kuniaki Toyoshimaa, Yuji Setaa, Shinobu Takedaa, and Hidemitsu Haradaa
a Department of Oral Anatomy and Neurobiology, Kyushu Dental College, Kitakyushu, Japan

Correspondence to: Kuniaki Toyoshima, Dept. of Oral Anatomy and Neurobiology, Kyushu Dental College, Manazuru, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu 803-8580, Japan..

Merkel cells represent a population of epithelial cells in the skin and oral mucosa. Although Merkel cells are reliably distinguishable from other epithelial cells at the ultrastructural level, these cells are usually not discernible by standard light microscopy and need special techniques for their identification. Villin is an actin-crosslinking protein that is associated with the actin filament cores of brush border microvilli. In this study we show that an antibody against villin is an excellent marker of Merkel cells and their microvilli even at the light microscopic level. The surrounding keratinocytes and subepithelial connective tissue cells do not show any significant affinity for the antibody against villin. Confocal laser micrographs reconstructed from serial images 0.5 µm thick of Merkel cells that were immunostained with villin clearly reveal the three-dimensional morphology of Merkel cells and their microvilli. The presence of villin in Merkel cell microvilli lends support to the idea that these cells might have a mechanoreceptor function. (J Histochem Cytochem 46:1329–1334, 1998)

Key Words: Merkel cell, villin, microvilli, immunohistochemistry, confocal laser microscopy


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