Skin-Type-Dependent Development of Murine Mechanosensory Neurons

The study investigates the development of mechanosensory neurons in relation to different skin types in mice. It finds that while mechanoreceptor morphologies are initially similar across skin regions, they diverge after birth as the skin matures. Neurons at the border of glabrous and hairy skin exhibit hybrid morphologies. The molecular profiles of neurons innervating neonatal glabrous and hairy skin largely overlap. In mouse mutants with ectopic glabrous skin, neurons adapt by forming end-organs suitable for the new skin type. The study highlights the role of BMP5 and BMP7, which are enriched in glabrous skin, and the importance of signaling through type I BMP receptors for the development of Meissner corpuscles, indicating that mechanoreceptor morphogenesis is influenced by the target tissues.