Which skin layer contains the specialized receptor Merkel cells at the epidermis-dermis junction?

• A. Merkel cells
• B. Free nerve endings
• C. Pacinian corpuscles
• D. Meissner's corpuscles

Answer: (A)

Merkel cells are specialized touch receptors located in the epidermis, specifically in the basal layer right at the epidermal–dermal junction. They pair with nearby nerve endings to form Merkel discs, which provide fine touch and texture discrimination and respond to sustained gentle pressure. This placement at the boundary between the epidermis and dermis makes them the key receptor associated with that junction. Other receptors sit in different depths and have different roles: for example, some are deeper in the dermis and respond to pressure or vibration, while others are in upper skin layers and respond to light touch but in different patterns of response.