We have investigated the developmental origin and ultrastructure of avian M
erkel cells by electron microscopy and chick/quail transplantation experime
nts.
On embryonic day 3, chick leg primordia were homotopically grafted onto Jap
anese quail host embryo. Fourteen days later, quail cells that had migrated
into grafted chick legs were identified according to the masses of heteroc
hromatin associated with the nucleolus that are characteristic for quail. B
oth in chick and quail, Merkel cells are usually located in the dermis just
below the epidermis. They are placed between nerve terminals either indivi
dually or in small groups wrapped in sheaths that are formed by glial cell
processes. Occasionally, some Merkel cells appear in nerve fascicles and wi
thin Herbst corpuscles. Merkel cells, as well as glial cells, in grafted ch
icken legs were of quail origin. This finding provides evidence against the
epidermal origin of avian Merkel cells and indicates that Merkel cells are
derived from neural crest cells that colonise, together with glial cells a
nd melanocytes, the developing limb primordium.