Interaction of human keratinocytes and nerve fiber terminals at the neuro-cutaneous unit

Author:

Erbacher Christoph1ORCID,Britz Sebastian2,Dinkel Philine1,Klein Thomas1ORCID,Sauer Markus3ORCID,Stigloher Christian2ORCID,Üçeyler Nurcan1ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Würzburg

2. Imaging Core Facility, Biocenter, University of Würzburg

3. Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg

Abstract

Traditionally, peripheral sensory neurons are assumed as the exclusive transducers of external stimuli. Current research moves epidermal keratinocytes into focus as sensors and transmitters of nociceptive and non-nociceptive sensations, tightly interacting with intraepidermal nerve fibers at the neuro-cutaneous unit. In animal models, epidermal cells establish close contacts and ensheath sensory neurites. However, ultrastructural morphological and mechanistic data examining the human keratinocyte-nerve fiber interface are sparse. We investigated this exact interface in human skin applying super-resolution array tomography, expansion microscopy, and structured illumination microscopy. We show keratinocyte ensheathment of afferents and adjacent connexin 43 contacts in native skin and have applied a pipeline based on expansion microscopy to quantify these parameter in skin sections of healthy participants versus patients with small fiber neuropathy. We further derived a fully human co-culture system, visualizing ensheathment and connexin 43 plaques in vitro. Unraveling human intraepidermal nerve fiber ensheathment and potential interaction sites advances research at the neuro-cutaneous unit. These findings are crucial on the way to decipher the mechanisms of cutaneous nociception.

Funder

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

European Research Council

Publisher

eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd

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