Human haarscheiben, epidermal Merkel cell-rich sensory organs of hairy skin, were studied for the expression of various cytokeratin (CK) polypeptides and other epithelial and neuronal differentiation markers by applying immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescence microscopy to frozen sections and by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The basal clusters of Merkel cells were specifically detected by antibodies against CK 20. Haarscheiben keratinocytes were unique mainly by the prominent expression of CK 17 in the lower and middle layers. Further differences as compared to keratinocytes of usual epidermis included the enlargement of the basal compartment, characterized by the expression of CK 5 and the absence of the maturation-associated CKs 1/10/11, and the reduction of CK 15, which is a constituent of normal basal cells. Using CK 17 as a highly sensitive Haarscheibe marker in skin tissue sections, variabilities in the spatial relationship of the haarscheibe and the corresponding hair follicle were recorded. The results show that haarscheibe keratinocytes express a special program of differentiation that may be important for optimal stimulus perception. Immunohistochemical stainings for CK 17 will facilitate further studies on the distribution and biology of haarscheibe.
