Related Experiment Video For Merkel cell
Updated: Apr 17, 2026
Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Infection and Detection
Published on: February 7, 2019
Clinical and Pathologic Study of Feline Merkel Cell Carcinoma With Immunohistochemical Characterization of Normal and
A Dohata1, J K Chambers2, K Uchida1
1Department of Veterinary Pathology, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract:
The authors herein describe the morphologic and immunohistochemical features of normal Merkel cells as well as the clinicopathologic findings of Merkel cell carcinoma in cats. Merkel cells were characterized as vacuolated clear cells and were individually located in the epidermal basal layer of all regions examined. Clusters of Merkel cells were often observed adjacent to the sinus hair of the face and carpus. Immunohistochemically, Merkel cells were positive for cytokeratin (CK) 20, CK18, p63, neuron-specific enolase, synaptophysin, and protein gene product 9.5. Merkel cell carcinoma was detected as a solitary cutaneous mass in 3 aged cats (13 to 16 years old). On cytology, large lymphocyte-like cells were observed in all cases. Histologic examinations of surgically resected tumors revealed nests of round cells separated by various amounts of a fibrous stroma. Tumor cells were commonly immunopositive for CK20, CK18, p63, neuron-specific enolase, and synaptophysin, representing the characteristics of normal Merkel cells.
