{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,27]],"date-time":"2026-08-27T14:18:32Z","timestamp":1787840312783,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":20,"publisher":"Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)","issue":"3","content-domain":{"domain":["lww.com","ovid.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Merkel cells are perceived as tactile receptors within skin and oral mucosa containing abundant intermediate filaments but lacking characteristic condensation of tonofilaments, hence are also referred to as non-keratinocytes. Merkel cell carcinomas (MCCs) are primary aggressive neuroendocrine neoplasms occurring in elderly individuals. Toker in 1972 reported MCC of skin pointing towards sweat glands as the source of origin which was later rectified by Tang with the aid of ultrastructural studies as Merkel cells to be a lineage of such tumours. Normally, Merkel cells are abundant in the gingiva and vermillion border of the lip and thus these are the common sites for this neoplasm. Histopathologically, MCC mimics varied other carcinomas, hence requiring a thorough diagnostic protocol. We present a case of challenging histopathology which on immunohistochemical analysis with a unique cytokeratin profile and neurofilament staining pattern helped in reaching a definitive diagnosis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4103\/jomfp.jomfp_503_23","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,15]],"date-time":"2024-10-15T02:00:39Z","timestamp":1728957639000},"page":"467-473","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/lww.0000000000001000","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Merkel cell: Friend or felon"],"prefix":"10.4103","volume":"28","author":[{"given":"Ankita","family":"Tandon","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Odontology, Dental College, RIMS, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Narendra N.","family":"Singh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Odontology, Dental College, RIMS, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nikita","family":"Gulati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, ITS-CDSR, Muradnagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"276","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,10,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"R1-20241016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"74","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tcb.2014.10.003","article-title":"Merkel cells and neurons keep in touch","volume":"25","author":"Woo","year":"2015","journal-title":"Trends Cell Biol"},{"key":"R2-20241016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.1038\/ijos.2015.31","article-title":"Loss of A\u03b2 nerve endings associated with the Merkel cell-neurite complex in the lesional oral mucosa epithelium of lichen planus and hyperkeratosis","volume":"8","author":"Carri\u00f3n","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int J Oral Sci"},{"key":"R3-20241016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1447-073x.2004.00067.x","article-title":"Ultrastructures of mechanoreceptors in the oral mucosa","volume":"79","author":"Watanabe","year":"2004","journal-title":"Anat Sci Int"},{"key":"R4-20241016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0714.2009.00834.x","article-title":"Neuroendocrine cells and associated malignancies of the oral mucosa: A review","volume":"39","author":"Mahomed","year":"2010","journal-title":"J Oral Pathol Med"},{"key":"R5-20241016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"779","DOI":"10.1111\/1523-1747.ep12458993","article-title":"Formation of epidermal and dermal Merkel cells during human fetal skin development","volume":"87","author":"Moll","year":"1986","journal-title":"J Invest Dermatol"},{"key":"R6-20241016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"287","DOI":"10.1080\/01913120590951284","article-title":"Merkel cells, normal and neoplastic: An update","volume":"29","author":"Sidhu","year":"2005","journal-title":"Ultrastruct Pathol"},{"key":"R8-20241016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"176","DOI":"10.1002\/(SICI)1096-9896(199910)189:2<176::AID-PATH416>3.0.CO;2-U","article-title":"Merkel cells in the human oesophagus","volume":"189","author":"Harmse","year":"1999","journal-title":"J Pathol"},{"key":"R9-20241016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"195","DOI":"10.1016\/S0923-1811(02)00104-4","article-title":"Spatial relationship between Merkel cells and Langerhans cells in human hair follicles","volume":"30","author":"Taira","year":"2002","journal-title":"J Dermatol Sci"},{"key":"R10-20241016","first-page":"334","article-title":"Biology of disease: Neuroendocrine (Merkel) cells of the skin: Hyperplasias, dysplasias, and neoplasms","volume":"52","author":"Gould","year":"1985","journal-title":"Lab Invest"},{"key":"R11-20241016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"413","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1600-0560.1995.tb00756.x","article-title":"Merkel cells are integral constituents of desmoplastic trichopithelioma: An immunohistochemical and electron microscopic study","volume":"22","author":"Hartschuh","year":"1995","journal-title":"J Cutan Pathol"},{"key":"R12-20241016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"880","DOI":"10.1016\/j.oraloncology.2015.05.011","article-title":"Merkel cell carcinoma-Beast with two Backs","volume":"51","author":"Ganjre","year":"2015","journal-title":"Oral Oncol"},{"key":"R13-20241016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.1016\/0030-4220(88)90195-8","article-title":"Merkel cell carcinoma arising in the oral mucosa","volume":"65","author":"Mir","year":"1988","journal-title":"Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol"},{"key":"R14-20241016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"193","DOI":"10.1016\/0030-4220(92)90382-Z","article-title":"Merkel cell carcinoma of the labial mucosa. 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