Enzyme histochemistry of cutaneous sensory nerve formations

The cutaneous sensory nerve formations belong to the structures which are studied intensely by the enzyme activity histochemistry since the early history of this technique. The histochemical localization of the activities of nonspecific cholinesterase, alkaline phosphatases, acid phosphatase, adenosine tri- and diphosphatases, adenylate cyclase, and dipeptidylpeptidase-IV in the cutaneous sensory nerve formations, mainly sensory corpuscles, is reviewed. The histochemical approach has brought new knowledge of both morphological building of these unique structures and their biochemical constituents. Taken together, the present results of enzyme histochemistry provide insight into the function of enzymes, and disclose new relationships between the sensory terminals and auxiliary structures in the cutaneous sensory nerve formations.