Friedrich Sigmund Merkel (1845 – 1919) was a leading German anatomist and histopathologist of the late 19th century. In 1875 he provided the first full description of Tastzellen (touch cells) which occur in the skin of all vertebrates. They were subsequently given the eponym Merkel cells in 1878 by Robert Bonnet (1851–1921). Anatomical drawing of the human muscles from the Encyclopédie. ... Histopathology is the microscopic study of diseased tissue. ... An eponym is a person, whether real or fictitious, whose name has (or is thought to have) given rise to the name of a particular place, tribe, discovery, or other item. ... Merkel cells are large oval cells found in the skin of vertebrates. ...