Table 2.

Table of genes encoding critical regulators of Merkel Cell formation in both back and the glabrous paw skin.

Gene Symbol(s)	Mouse models used to study the gene loss of function effects	Merkel Cell phenotype in the back skin	Merkel Cell phenotype in the glabrous skin
Atoh1	Hoxb1Cre; Atoh1flox/flox Krt14-Cre; Atoh1flox/flox	Merkel Cells are not formed (Maricich et al., 2009; Perdigoto et al., 2014; Van Keymeulen et al., 2009)	Merkel Cells are not formed (Maricich et al., 2009; Van Keymeulen et al., 2009)
Sox2	Krt14-Cre; Sox2flox/flox	Reduced number of Merkel Cells (Lesko et al., 2013; Bardot et al., 2013)	Reduced number of Merkel Cells (Bardot et al., 2013)
Ezh1/2	Krt14-Cre; Ezh1/2flox/flox	Increased number of Merkel Cells (Bardot et al., 2013)	Increased number of Merkel Cells (Bardot et al., 2013)
Eed	Krt14-Cre; Eedflox/flox	Increased number of Merkel Cells (Dauber et al., 2016; Perdigoto et al., 2016)	Increased number of Merkel Cells (Dauber et al., 2016; Perdigoto et al., 2016)
Suz12	Krt14-Cre; Suz12flox/flox	Increased number of Merkel Cells (Dauber et al., 2016)	Increased number of Merkel Cells (Dauber et al., 2016)