File:Pressure Receptors in Glabrous Skin.jpg

This image shows the structure and location of the pressure receptors in glabrous skin. a)shows a Meissner corpuscle located between epidermal pegs. b) is a representation of the superficially located Merkel Discs. c) shows the Ruffini endings with their connective tissue lying parallel to the skin. d) represents the location of the Pacinian corpuscles with their 'onion like' structure. e) is a representation on free nerve endings.

Referencing

Hoffmann JN, Montag AG, ;Dominy NJ.Meissner corpuscles and somatosensory acuity: The prehensile appendages of primates and elephants:Anat Rec A Discov Mol Cell Evol Biol. 2004 Nov;281(1):1138-47. URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15470674

Copyright

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Original Text

'Figure 1. A: Nerve endings of the glabrous digital skin (a) Meissner corpuscles, (b) Merkel disks, (c) Ruffini endings, (d) Pacinian corpuscles, and (e) free nerve endings. Meissner corpuscles connect to and tightly abut the basal surface of the epidermis, just below the basement membrane. B: Cauna's model of an intermediate ridge (IR) and a Meissner corpuscle (MC; a). The intermediate ridge may act as a “magnifying lever mechanism” (Cauna, 1954) because its swing transmits oblique stimuli to the Meissner corpuscle (b and c). The spring-like receptor is fully stimulated by pressure coinciding with its axis (d).'