Preferred Label : Merkel nerve ending;
Uberon definition : mechanoreceptors found in the skin and mucosa of vertebrates that provide touch information
to the brain. The information they provide are those regarding pressure and texture.
Each ending consists of a Merkel cell in close apposition with an enlarged nerve terminal;
Uberon synonym : Merkel's disc; Merkel's tactile disc; Merkel's receptor; Merkel's disk;
Uberon Taxon note : In mammals, Merkel nerve endings have a wide distribution. Merkel nerve endings are
found in the basal layer of glabrous and hairy skin, in hair follicles, and in oral
and anal mucosa. In humans, Merkel cells (along with Meissner's corpuscles) occur
in the superficial skin layers, and are found clustered beneath the ridges of the
fingertips that make up fingerprints. In hairy skin, Merkel nerve endings are clustered
into specialized epithelial structures called 'touch domes' or 'hair disks'. (Some
other types of mechanoreceptors, such as Pacinian corpuscles and Ruffini endings,
are found primarily in subcutaneous tissue.) Merkel receptors are also located in
the mammary glands. Wherever they are found, the epithelium is arranged to optimize
the transfer of pressure to the ending.;
Origin ID : 0012456;
Automatic exact mappings (from CISMeF team)
- Uberon cross reference
mechanoreceptors found in the skin and mucosa of vertebrates that provide touch information
to the brain. The information they provide are those regarding pressure and texture.
Each ending consists of a Merkel cell in close apposition with an enlarged nerve terminal
