Long-Term Staining of Live Merkel Cells With FM Dyes

The study investigated the use of FM dyes as long-term markers for live Merkel cells, which are found in the skin and hair follicles. Traditional quinacrine staining was found to be inadequate due to its rapid loss of fluorescence. FM dyes, such as FM1-43 and FM4-64, successfully stained 95% and 98% of quinacrine-stained Merkel cells, respectively, and provided stronger fluorescence and clearer cell shapes. The FM dyes remained visible in cultured Merkel cells for at least 7 days, indicating their potential for long-term studies. The research suggested that Merkel cells might have vesicle recycling mechanisms similar to neurons and secretory cells, making FM dyes valuable tools for in vitro experiments.