Abstract
In addition to the keratinocytes, the epidermis contains resident cells of dendritic morphology. These are principally the Langerhans cell, Merkel cell and melanocyte. These cells have a number of different funtions in the integument. The melanocyte is responsible for skin pigmentation, and protection against UV radiation, and may also play a role in the modulation of cutaneous inflammation. The Langerhans cell aids in the immunological monitoring of the body's external surfaces. The Merkel cell has neuroendocrine functions. This review gives an overview of the structure and function of these three important cells of the skin.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-8 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Veterinary Dermatology |
Volume | 6 |
Issue number | 1 |
State | Published - 1995 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Dendritic cells
- Epidermis
- Langerhans cell
- Melanocyte
- Merkel cell
- Veterinary dermatology
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- veterinary(all)