Mechanism of Meissner corpuscle function

Somatosensation is essential for everyday life. Many vertebrates, including humans, use the sense of touch to navigate in the environment, manipulate tools and objects, find food and perform various mechanical tasks. Key to this ability are somatosensory corpuscles located in the skin. In this proposal, we focus on Meissner corpuscles, which are essential for performing fine tactile tasks due to their ability to detect transient mechanical stimuli. Despite their importance for somatosensation, the mechanism of Meissner corpuscle function is unknown. Meissner corpuscles are located in the skin of many vertebrates, and consist of lamellar cells in contact with a neuronal mechanoreceptor. The mechanoreceptor is thought to be the key sensory element within the corpuscle, whereas the function of lamellar cells is unknown. In this proposal, we will functionally test the hypothesis that Meissner lamellar cells are active detectors of touch. To do this, we will use bill skin of tactile specialist ducks, which contains a high density of Meissner corpuscles accessible for experimental manipulations. We will investigate the molecular mechanism of touch sensitivity in Meissner lamellar cells, study their interaction with neuronal mechanoreceptor, and investigate their role in somatosensory physiology. We will employ an integrative approach, including neurophysiology, biophysics and imaging. Results from this basic scientific proposal will provide mechanistic insights into the process of somatosensation in vertebrate skin.