Meissner's corpuscles
Meissner's Corpuscles
Meissner's Corpuscles (/maɪsnərz ˈkɔːrpʌsəlz/), also known as Tactile Corpuscles, are a type of mechanoreceptor. They are a type of nerve ending in the skin that is responsible for sensitivity to light touch. In particular, they have the highest sensitivity when sensing vibrations between 10 and 50 Hertz. They are named after the German anatomist Georg Meissner (1829–1905) and the Italian histologist Rudolf Albert von Kölliker (1817–1905), who jointly discovered them.
Etymology
The term "Meissner's Corpuscle" is derived from the name of Georg Meissner, who, in collaboration with Rudolf Albert von Kölliker, discovered these tactile structures in the mid-19th century. The term "corpuscle" comes from the Latin corpusculum, meaning "small body". The term "tactile" is derived from the Latin tactilis, meaning "able to touch".
Structure
Meissner's Corpuscles are encapsulated unmyelinated nerve endings, which consist of flattened supportive cells arranged as horizontal lamellae surrounded by a connective tissue capsule. They are distributed throughout the skin, but are most concentrated in areas where the sense of touch is acute, such as the fingertips and lips.
Function
Meissner's Corpuscles are responsible for the sense of light touch. They are rapidly adaptive receptors that respond to changes in texture and vibrations. When the skin is touched, they are stimulated, and they send signals to the brain, which interprets these signals as a tactile sensation.
Related Terms
- Mechanoreceptor: A sensory receptor that responds to mechanical pressure or distortion.
- Nerve Ending: The terminus of a nerve where signals are received and sent.
- Vibration Sensation: The sense of vibration perceived by the skin.
- Georg Meissner: A German anatomist who discovered Meissner's Corpuscles.
- Rudolf Albert von Kölliker: An Italian histologist who discovered Meissner's Corpuscles.
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