Touch and Position Sensory receptors

Touch/pressure/vibration receptors in skin

Skin also includes important pain, touch and pressure receptors. A Meissner's Corpuscle, which is a touch receptor, is shown in the following figure.

If touch is transmitted via these types of receptors, how is pain transmitted?

Another very large receptor looks like a sliced onion. It is called a Pacinian corpuscle. The following photo shows two Pacinian Corpuscles .

What is the function of the Pacinian Corpuscle?

Stretch receptors in skeletal muscle.

Muscle spindles are receptors that actually contain muscle fibers enveloped in a connective tissue sheath. Nerve fibers are wrapped around the fibers to detect the degree of stretch on the muscle.  Find a muscle spindle in your slide of skeletal muscle. Identify the Intrafusal fibers.

URL Address:

Gwen V. Childs, Ph.D., FAAA

Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
4301 W. Markham, Slot 510
Little Rock, AR 72205

For questions or concerns, send email to this address

© Gwen Childs Jones 1998