Meissner’s corpuscles

Definition

Meissner's corpuscles are specialized nerve endings located in the dermal papillae of glabrous skin. They are responsible for detecting light touch and low-frequency vibrations.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Meissner's corpuscles are most densely located in areas like fingertips, palms, soles, and lips.
2. They are composed of flattened supportive cells arranged as horizontal lamellae surrounded by a connective tissue capsule.
3. These receptors rapidly adapt to stimuli, meaning they stop responding quickly after initial activation.
4. Meissner's corpuscles play a critical role in fine tactile discrimination, such as reading Braille or feeling textures.
5. They operate through mechanotransduction, converting mechanical stimuli into electrical signals processed by the nervous system.

Review Questions

• What type of stimuli do Meissner’s corpuscles detect?
• In what areas of the body are Meissner’s corpuscles most densely located?
• How do Meissner’s corpuscles respond to sustained pressure?

Related terms

Merkel cells: Specialized skin cells that detect sustained pressure and texture.

Pacinian corpuscles:

Large nerve endings that sense deep pressure and high-frequency vibration.

Ruffini endings:

Sensory receptors that detect skin stretch and contribute to the perception of object manipulation.