Meissner’s corpuscles

Meissner's Corpuscles

Meissner's corpuscles, also known as tactile corpuscles, are one of the four major types of mechanoreceptor. They are nerve endings in the skin that are responsible for sensitivity to light touch. In particular, they have highest sensitivity when sensing vibrations lower than 50 Hertz. They are named after the German anatomist Georg Meissner (1829–1905) and the pathologist Rudolf Wagner who discovered them.

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. The corpuscle is between 30-140 μm in length and 40-60 μm in diameter. A single nerve fiber meanders between the lamellae and throughout the corpuscle.

Location

Meissner's corpuscles are distributed throughout the skin, but are concentrated in areas especially sensitive to light touch, such as the fingertips and lips. They are primarily located just beneath the epidermis, within the dermal papillae.

Function

Meissner's corpuscles are responsible for the ability to sense light touch. They respond to pressure and vibrations, but they are most sensitive to changes in stimuli, thus are often perceived as motion detectors. They are less sensitive to static pressure.

Clinical significance

Changes in the number and function of Meissner's corpuscles may be an indicator of a neurological disease, such as diabetic neuropathy. In this condition, the corpuscles may be reduced in number and show abnormal morphology.

See also

• Merkel cells
• Pacinian corpuscles
• Ruffini endings
• Free nerve endings