Mechanoreceptors in Skin

Characteristics of different mechanoreceptors in skin

Meissner’s corpuscle - stimulus

Fine touch, low frequency vibrations

Meissner’s corpuscle - location

glabrous, non-hairy

Meissner’s corpuscle - RF size

small

Meissner’s corpuscle - adaptation speed

fast

Meissner’s corpuscle - nerve endings

encapsulated

Meissner’s corpuscle - example

soft cotton shirt

Merkel cells - stimulus

fine touch

Merkel cells - location

glabrous, hairy

Merkel cells - RF size

small

Merkel cells - adaptation speed

slow

Merkel cells - nerve endings

free

Merkel cells - example

reading Braille

Pacinian corpuscle - stimulus

deep touch/pressure, strong vibrations

Pacinian corpuscle - location

glabrous, hairy, deep skin

Pacinian corpuscle - RF size

large

Pacinian corpuscle - adaptation speed

fast

Pacinian corpuscle - nerve endings

encapsulated

Pacinian corpuscle - example

poke

Ruffini endings - stimulus

skin stretch, deep pressure

Ruffini endings - location

glabrous, hairy, deep skin

Ruffini endings - RF size

large

Ruffini endings - adaptation speed

slow

Ruffini endings - nerve endings

encapsulated

Ruffini endings - example

gripping a baseball