Origin and Regenerative Potential of Vertebrate Mechanoreceptor-Associated Stem Cells

Figure 4

Putative multipotent stem cell/progenitor populations within Meissner corpuscles. After lesion several cell populations may participate to the regeneration process. Firstly, multipotent adult neural crest-derived stem cells NCSCs may directly contribute to the regeneration process. Secondly, lamellar cells and other Schwann cells may be cellularly reprogrammed and re-enter the cell cycle after lesion. This process may be accompanied by migration of Schwann cells and their progenitors from the periphery to the site of the lesion. Finally, tissue resident fibroblast-like MSCs may also play an important role in recovery of mechanoreceptors.