MICROANATOMY

Detailed explanation-1: -Touch receptors are a subtype of sensory neuron that are located in the skin and possess specialized endings that respond to mechanical stimulation. As part of the somatosensory system, touch receptors therefore transmit information regarding tactile stimuli to the central nervous system.

Detailed explanation-2: -Meissner’s corpuscles (or tactile corpuscles) are responsible for sensitivity to light touch.

Detailed explanation-3: -Tactile (touch) Tactile receptors identify the sensation of touch and are all over our bodies in our skin. Some areas of our skin have more tactile receptors than other areas e.g. mouth and hands. The tactile senses are important for identifying touch, pressure, pain, temperature and texture.

Detailed explanation-4: -Four major types of encapsulated mechanoreceptors are specialized to provide information to the central nervous system about touch, pressure, vibration, and cutaneous tension: Meissner’s corpuscles, Pacinian corpuscles, Merkel’s disks, and Ruffini’s corpuscles (Figure 9.3 and Table 9.1).

Detailed explanation-5: -By using our tactile sense, we detect superficial and deep pressure and sensations we describe as brushing, vibration, flutter, and indentation. As mentioned above, our skin is also sensitive to temperature and pain, which we sense with different sets of receptors.