5/29/2023 0 Comments Ntouch clothes![]() "Although Merkel cells make up only a tiny fraction of cells in the skin, this study adds to a growing body of evidence they play an important role in sensation."īecause the study was done in mice, it's unclear just yet whether the results also apply to humans. Merkel cells "have fascinated neuroscientists for more than a century," said Ellen Lumpkin, an associate professor of somatosensory biology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, who was not part of the study. Although they now have evidence that Merkel cells help quench touch-induced itching, the researchers still don't know what's responsible for sparking it. But because this study looked only at the surface of skin, not at the pathways to the spinal cord, more research is needed to be sure about this conclusion, Hu said. The team concluded that the Merkel cells most likely sent information to those spinal interneurons, telling them that those touches were innocuous and therefore didn't warrant an "itch" response. Indeed, with follow-up experiments in genetically modified mice, the investigators saw that activating Merkel cells made the critters scratch less, and inhibiting these cells made the animals scratch more. "We thought these are the guys who cause the itch, but these guys are not causing itch, are inhibiting itch," Hu said. And the fewer Merkel cells the mice had, the itchier they were when poked, Hu said. They were surprised to find that the older mice, as well as the ones with drier skin, had significantly fewer Merkel cells compared to the younger animals, the researchers said. ![]() To find out, the researchers took tissue samples from the mice and stained the Merkel cells with an immunofluorescent dye so that the researchers could see the cells under a microscope. Because these cells live on the outer layer of the skin and are thought to be responsible for sensing light touches, Hu and his team thought these receptors must also be the ones causing us to feel itchy. They are turned on by a protein called Piezo2, which sits on the edge of the cells. When we put our hands on a table, for instance, Merkel cells allow us to feel the surface's smoothness or roughness, Hu said. The team had a strong suspicion, though, that specific touch receptors on the outer layer of the skin, called Merkel cells, were the troublemakers, Hu said. This prevents you from itching every time you touch something.īut it was unclear what sparked the itching examined in this study and what stopped it. However, the spinal cord has cells called interneurons that suppress touch information that you don't need to react to, like a shirt touching the skin, Hu said. The skin is very sensitive, a trait that's meant to protect us from dangers like poisonous bugs and hot surfaces. Those reflex movements precede the perception of pain or itchiness, which come from signals generated in the brain quickly after the reflex response, Hu told Live Science. The spinal cord is usually responsible for reflexive responses, sending rapid-fire signals back to your hand so that you'll take your hand off the hot stove or slap that creepy crawler off your arm, for example. Touch receptors populate our skin, feeding information, such as temperature and texture, through long nerve bundles into the spinal cord and up to the brain. This led to the big question: What did these elderly mice have that the younger mice didn't - or what did they lack? Touch pathways When the scientists tested other types of causes for itching, such as histamine - a chemical that is released as an immune defense and that causes allergy symptoms - they didn't find any age-related differences. The investigators found that the older mice scratched much more than the younger mice did. Coupon may not be combined, sold, auctioned, transferred or reproduced. In the event of a return, refund shall not exceed amount paid. ![]() Qualifying amount and offer not valid on the purchase of Chico’s Loves ™ (items are subject to change, see online product description for details), charity items (including donations), gift cards, prior purchases, final sale items, taxes or shipping. Dollar-off discounts will be applied prior to percent-off total purchase discounts/coupons. We do not guarantee any threshold number of sales were made at the listed full price. ![]() Offer not valid on orders shipping to Canada. boutiques (excludes Chico's Outlets, Chico's Off The Rack stores and ), at and by phone at 888.855.4986. Offer valid on select styles while supplies last.
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