Anatomical Mapping and Density of Merkel Cells in Skin and Mucosae of the Dog

    July 2016 in “ ˜The œanatomical record ”
    Gustavo Ramírez, Francisco Rodríguez, O. Quesada, P. Herráez, Antonio Fernández, Antonio Espinosa‐de‐los‐Monteros
    TLDR Dogs have varying numbers of touch-sensitive Merkel cells in different skin areas, with most in the oral mucosa and facial skin, unrelated to age, sex, breed, or color.
    The study mapped and quantified Merkel cells (MCs) in the skin and mucosae of 21 adult dogs, analyzing 1,187 samples. It found that MCs were unevenly distributed, with higher densities in sensory receptive areas like the lips and snout, and lower densities in areas like the anal and genital mucosa. The distribution and density of MCs in dogs were similar to those in other mammals, suggesting comparable functions. The number of MCs did not significantly vary with age, sex, breed, coat, or pigmentation. The study provided foundational data for future research on MC functions in both normal and damaged canine tissues.
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