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: http://microanatomy.net/nerve/touch_and_position_receptors.htm
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
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