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.
36 citations,
April 2010 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” Canine hair follicles have stem cells similar to human hair follicles, useful for studying hair disorders.
21 citations,
July 2006 in “Veterinary dermatology” CD34 marks potential stem cells in dog hair follicles.
81 citations,
June 2014 in “Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in medicine” Skin has specialized touch receptors that can tell different sensations apart.
277 citations,
July 2011 in “Journal of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association” The skin's layers protect, sense, and regulate the body's internal balance, but can be prone to cancer.
4 citations,
April 2020 in “bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)” The skin has about 230,000 touch-sensitive nerve fibers, with high concentrations in the hands and face.
142 citations,
September 2020 in “Journal of neurophysiology” Young adults have about 230,000 tactile nerve fibers, decreasing 5-8% per decade with age.
1 citations,
July 2016 in “Elsevier eBooks” Understanding skin structure and development helps diagnose and treat skin disorders.
