Meissner

Meissner is a German surname that appears in several scientific and anatomical contexts. The most widely known usage is the Meissner effect in superconductivity, described in 1933 by Walther Meissner and Robert Ochsenfeld. In a material that becomes superconducting below its critical temperature, magnetic fields are expelled from the interior, causing magnetic flux to be excluded and allowing phenomena such as magnetic levitation. The Meissner effect is a defining property of superconductors and helps distinguish them from ordinary conductors.

Meissner’s corpuscles, also known as Meissner corpuscles, are tactile receptors in the skin named after Georg Meissner, a 19th‑century German anatomist. They are small, encapsulated nerve endings located in the dermal papillae of glabrous skin, particularly on the fingertips and lips, and they contribute to the perception of light touch. They are part of the body’s somatosensory system and are distinct from other mechanoreceptors such as Pacinian corpuscles, which detect deeper pressure and vibration.

Beyond these eponymous uses, Meissner is a surname borne by various scientists and professionals. Notable individuals include Walther Meissner, a physicist associated with the Meissner effect, and Georg Meissner, the anatomist who described the tactile corpuscles. The name appears in multiple disciplines through historical figures who contributed to science and medicine.