Cell Biology Commons^™

Exploring The Molecular Basis Of Touch: A Comparative Analysis Of Gene Expression In Sensory Corpuscle-Rich And Corpuscle-Poor Skin Regions In The Duck, Thomas Hart

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Cutaneous touch is facilitated by discrete cellular complexes composed of non-neuronal cells associated with mechanoreceptor neuron endings. The non-neuronal cells of these cutaneous end organ complexes (CEOCs) are believed to contribute to touch, but their role in touch sensation remains unclear. To better understand the function of CEOC cells, we sought to characterize the transcriptional profile of CEOC-rich tissue and identify genes expressed in CEOC cells. Bill skin of the tactile foraging Pekin duck (Anas platyrhynchos) is dense with CEOCs, specifically the avian analogs of mammalian Pacinian and Meissner corpuscles, while corpuscles in duck foot skin are scarce. Using RNA …