Tactile corpuscles or Meissner's corpuscles are a type of mechanoreceptor discovered by anatomistGeorg Meissner (1829–1905) and Rudolf Wagner.[1][2] This corpuscle is a type of nerve ending in the skin that is responsible for sensitivity to pressure. In particular, they have their highest sensitivity (lowest threshold) when sensing vibrations between 10 and 50 hertz. They are rapidly adaptive receptors. They are most concentrated in thick hairless skin, especially at the finger pads.
Tactile corpuscle
Papilla of the hand, magnified 350 times.
Side view of a papilla of the hand.
Cortical layer.
Tactile corpuscle.
Small nerve of the papilla, with neurolemma.
Its two nerve fibers (axons) running with spiral coils around the tactile corpuscle.
Apparent termination of one of these fibers.
A tactile papilla seen from above so as to show its transverse section.
Tactile corpuscles are encapsulated myelinatednerve endings,[3] surrounded by Schwann cells.[3] The encapsulation consists of flattened supportive cells arranged as horizontal lamellae surrounded by a connective tissue capsule. The corpuscle is 30–140 μm in length and 40–60 μm in diameter. A single nerve fiber meanders between the lamellae and throughout the corpuscle.[citation needed]
Location
They are distributed on various areas of the skin, but concentrated in areas especially sensitive to light touch, such as the fingers, lips and male prepuce.[4][5][6][7][8][9] More specifically, they are primarily located in glabrous skin just beneath the epidermis within the dermal papillae.[10]
Feelings of deep pressure (from a poke, for instance) are generated from lamellar corpuscles (the only other type of phasic tactile mechanoreceptor), which are located deeper in the dermis, and some free nerve endings.
The number of tactile corpuscles per square millimeter of human skin on the fingertips drops fourfold[clarification needed] between the ages of 12 and 50. The rate at which they are lost correlates well with the age-related loss in touch sensitivity for small probes.[11][clarification needed]
Function
Tactile corpuscles are rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors. They are sensitive to shape and textural changes in exploratory and discriminatory touch. Their acute sensitivity provides the neural basis for reading Braille text. Because of their superficial location in the dermis, these corpuscles are particularly sensitive to touch and vibrations, but for the same reasons, they are limited in their detection because they can only signal that something is touching the skin.[12]
Any physical deformation of the corpuscle will cause sodium ions to enter it, creating an action potential in the corpuscle's nerve fiber. Since they are rapidly adapting or phasic, the action potentials generated quickly decrease and eventually cease (this is the reason one stops "feeling" one's clothes).[12]
If the stimulus is removed, the corpuscle regains its shape and while doing so (i.e.: while physically reforming) causes another volley of action potentials to be generated.[citation needed]
Additional images
"Meissner's corpuscle" labeled at upper right
Diagrammatic sectional view of the skin.
light micrograph
References
^"Georg Meissner". www.WhoNamedIt.com. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
^Paré, Michel; Joseph E. Mazurkiewicz; Allan M. Smith; Frank L. Rice (15 September 2001). "The Meissner Corpuscle Revised: A Multiafferented Mechanoreceptor with Nociceptor Immunochemical Properties". The Journal of Neuroscience. 21 (18): 7236–46. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.21-18-07236.2001. PMC6763005. PMID 11549734.
^Cauna, Nikolajs; Ross, Leonard L. (1 October 1960). "The fine structure of Meissner's touch corpuscles of human fingers". The Journal of Cell Biology. 8 (2): 467–82. doi:10.1083/jcb.8.2.467. PMC2224947. PMID 13691669.
^Hoffmann, Joscelyn N.; Montag, Anthony G.; Dominy, Nathaniel J. (November 2004). "Meissner corpuscles and somatosensory acuity: the prehensile appendages of primates and elephants". The Anatomical Record Part A: Discoveries in Molecular, Cellular, and Evolutionary Biology. 281 (1): 1138–47. doi:10.1002/ar.a.20119. PMID 15470674.
^Martini / Bartholomew (2010) [1995]. Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology 3E. Pearson Benjamin Cummings.
^Afifi, Adel K.; Ronald Arly Bergman (2005) [1998]. Functional neuroanatomy: text and atlas. McGraw-Hill Professional. p. 16. ISBN978-0-07-001589-0. 10.1036/0071408126.
^"Nervous system - Touch". BBC. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
^García-Mesa, Yolanda; García-Piqueras, Jorge; Cobo, Ramón; Martín-Cruces, José; Suazo, Iván; García-Suárez, Olivia; Feito, Jorge; Vega, José A. (12 June 2021). "Sensory innervation of the human male prepuce: Meissner's corpuscles predominate". Journal of Anatomy. 239 (4): 892–902. doi:10.1111/joa.13481. PMC8450466. PMID 34120333.
^Winkelmann, R. K. (1959-01-21). "The Erogenous Zones: Their Nerve Supply and Significance". Proceedings of the Staff Meetings of the Mayo Clinic. 34 (2): 39–47. PMID 13645790.
^Thornbury, Julia M.; Mistretta, Charlotte M. (January 1981). "Tactile sensitivity as a function of age". Journal of Gerontology. 36 (1): 34–9. doi:10.1093/geronj/36.1.34. PMID 7451834.
^ abBear, Mark F.; Connors, Barry W.; Paradiso, Michael A. (2016). Neuroscience : Exploring the Brain (4th ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer. pp. 416–422. ISBN9780781778176. OCLC 897825779.
Sources
Gilman S (2002). "Joint position sense and vibration sense: anatomical organisation and assessment". Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry. 73 (5): 473–477. doi:10.1136/jnnp.73.5.473. PMC1738112. PMID 12397137.
External links
Donald L. Rubbelke D.A. Tissues of the Human Body: An Introduction. McGraw-Hill. 1999 Meissner's and Pacinian corpuscles
Dawn A. Tamarkin, Ph.D.
Histology image: 08105loa – Histology Learning System at Boston University - "Integument pigmented skin, Meissner's corpuscles "
tactile, corpuscle, meissner, corpuscles, type, mechanoreceptor, discovered, anatomist, georg, meissner, 1829, 1905, rudolf, wagner, this, corpuscle, type, nerve, ending, skin, that, responsible, sensitivity, pressure, particular, they, have, their, highest, s. Tactile corpuscles or Meissner s corpuscles are a type of mechanoreceptor discovered by anatomist Georg Meissner 1829 1905 and Rudolf Wagner 1 2 This corpuscle is a type of nerve ending in the skin that is responsible for sensitivity to pressure In particular they have their highest sensitivity lowest threshold when sensing vibrations between 10 and 50 hertz They are rapidly adaptive receptors They are most concentrated in thick hairless skin especially at the finger pads Tactile corpusclePapilla of the hand magnified 350 times Side view of a papilla of the hand Cortical layer Tactile corpuscle Small nerve of the papilla with neurolemma Its two nerve fibers axons running with spiral coils around the tactile corpuscle Apparent termination of one of these fibers A tactile papilla seen from above so as to show its transverse section Cortical layer Nerve fiber Outer layer of the tactile body with nuclei Clear interior substance DetailsLocationSkinIdentifiersLatincorpusculum tactusTHH3 11 06 0 00007FMA83605Anatomical terms of microanatomy edit on Wikidata Contents 1 Structure 1 1 Location 1 2 Comparison with other receptors 2 Development 3 Function 4 Additional images 5 References 6 Sources 7 External linksStructure EditTactile corpuscles are encapsulated myelinated nerve endings 3 surrounded by Schwann cells 3 The encapsulation consists of flattened supportive cells arranged as horizontal lamellae surrounded by a connective tissue capsule The corpuscle is 30 140 mm in length and 40 60 mm in diameter A single nerve fiber meanders between the lamellae and throughout the corpuscle citation needed Location Edit They are distributed on various areas of the skin but concentrated in areas especially sensitive to light touch such as the fingers lips and male prepuce 4 5 6 7 8 9 More specifically they are primarily located in glabrous skin just beneath the epidermis within the dermal papillae 10 Comparison with other receptors Edit This section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed August 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Feelings of deep pressure from a poke for instance are generated from lamellar corpuscles the only other type of phasic tactile mechanoreceptor which are located deeper in the dermis and some free nerve endings Also tactile corpuscles do not detect noxious stimuli this is signaled exclusively by free nerve endings Development EditThe number of tactile corpuscles per square millimeter of human skin on the fingertips drops fourfold clarification needed between the ages of 12 and 50 The rate at which they are lost correlates well with the age related loss in touch sensitivity for small probes 11 clarification needed Function EditTactile corpuscles are rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors They are sensitive to shape and textural changes in exploratory and discriminatory touch Their acute sensitivity provides the neural basis for reading Braille text Because of their superficial location in the dermis these corpuscles are particularly sensitive to touch and vibrations but for the same reasons they are limited in their detection because they can only signal that something is touching the skin 12 Any physical deformation of the corpuscle will cause sodium ions to enter it creating an action potential in the corpuscle s nerve fiber Since they are rapidly adapting or phasic the action potentials generated quickly decrease and eventually cease this is the reason one stops feeling one s clothes 12 If the stimulus is removed the corpuscle regains its shape and while doing so i e while physically reforming causes another volley of action potentials to be generated citation needed Additional images Edit Meissner s corpuscle labeled at upper right Diagrammatic sectional view of the skin light micrographReferences Edit Georg Meissner www WhoNamedIt com Retrieved 30 January 2017 Pare Michel Joseph E Mazurkiewicz Allan M Smith Frank L Rice 15 September 2001 The Meissner Corpuscle Revised A Multiafferented Mechanoreceptor with Nociceptor Immunochemical Properties The Journal of Neuroscience 21 18 7236 46 doi 10 1523 JNEUROSCI 21 18 07236 2001 PMC 6763005 PMID 11549734 a b Meissner s Corpuscles AnatomyBox Retrieved 2020 10 22 Cauna Nikolajs Ross Leonard L 1 October 1960 The fine structure of Meissner s touch corpuscles of human fingers The Journal of Cell Biology 8 2 467 82 doi 10 1083 jcb 8 2 467 PMC 2224947 PMID 13691669 Hoffmann Joscelyn N Montag Anthony G Dominy Nathaniel J November 2004 Meissner corpuscles and somatosensory acuity the prehensile appendages of primates and elephants The Anatomical Record Part A Discoveries in Molecular Cellular and Evolutionary Biology 281 1 1138 47 doi 10 1002 ar a 20119 PMID 15470674 Martini Bartholomew 2010 1995 Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology 3E Pearson Benjamin Cummings Afifi Adel K Ronald Arly Bergman 2005 1998 Functional neuroanatomy text and atlas McGraw Hill Professional p 16 ISBN 978 0 07 001589 0 10 1036 0071408126 Nervous system Touch BBC Retrieved 7 May 2010 Garcia Mesa Yolanda Garcia Piqueras Jorge Cobo Ramon Martin Cruces Jose Suazo Ivan Garcia Suarez Olivia Feito Jorge Vega Jose A 12 June 2021 Sensory innervation of the human male prepuce Meissner s corpuscles predominate Journal of Anatomy 239 4 892 902 doi 10 1111 joa 13481 PMC 8450466 PMID 34120333 Winkelmann R K 1959 01 21 The Erogenous Zones Their Nerve Supply and Significance Proceedings of the Staff Meetings of the Mayo Clinic 34 2 39 47 PMID 13645790 Thornbury Julia M Mistretta Charlotte M January 1981 Tactile sensitivity as a function of age Journal of Gerontology 36 1 34 9 doi 10 1093 geronj 36 1 34 PMID 7451834 a b Bear Mark F Connors Barry W Paradiso Michael A 2016 Neuroscience Exploring the Brain 4th ed Philadelphia Wolters Kluwer pp 416 422 ISBN 9780781778176 OCLC 897825779 Sources EditGilman S 2002 Joint position sense and vibration sense anatomical organisation and assessment Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry 73 5 473 477 doi 10 1136 jnnp 73 5 473 PMC 1738112 PMID 12397137 External links EditDonald L Rubbelke D A Tissues of the Human Body An Introduction McGraw Hill 1999 Meissner s and Pacinian corpuscles Dawn A Tamarkin Ph D Anatomy and Physiology Unit 15 Vision and Somatic Senses Touch and Pressure Histology image 08105loa Histology Learning System at Boston University Integument pigmented skin Meissner s corpuscles Anatomy Atlases Microscopic Anatomy plate 06 123 Meissner s Tactile Corpuscle Histology at rutgers edu Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tactile corpuscle amp oldid 1171069950, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
