Lab 2 (ƒ4) - External and Internal Anatomy of the Spinal Cord
Meissner and Pacinian Corpuscles - Overview
Meissner corpuscles are oriented with their long axis perpendicular to the surface of the skin and are located near the skin surface in the papillary ridges of nonhairy skin (e.g., in the fingertips, lips). The lamellar (epithelial) cells of the Meissner corpuscle are colored blue in the diagram below. Notice that within the corpuscle, the lamellar cells are aligned like a stack of pancakes.
The lamellar cells of the Pacinian corpuscle form concentric rings around a small solid central core. The outer lamellar cells are normally fluid-filled. In the center of the Pacinian corpuscle, the inner core of lamellar cells encircles a single 1° afferent terminal fiber.
In Summary:
- Meissner corpuscles: touch, found in epidermis
- Pacinian corpuscles: vibration, found deeper to Meissner's