Meissnerkroppene

Meissner's corpuscles, also known as tactile corpuscles, are a type of mechanoreceptor found in the skin of vertebrates. They are specialized nerve endings responsible for the perception of light touch and texture. These receptors are particularly abundant in glabrous skin, such as the fingertips, lips, and soles of the feet, where touch sensitivity is heightened.

Structurally, Meissner's corpuscles are encapsulated nerve endings. They consist of a spiral-shaped nerve fiber surrounded by flattened Schwann cells, which form a layered capsule. This capsule is connected to the epidermis. Their location in the dermal papillae, just below the epidermis, allows them to respond to fine, discriminative touch.

Meissner's corpuscles are rapidly adapting receptors, meaning they respond strongly to the onset and offset of a stimulus but quickly cease to fire if the stimulus remains constant. This property makes them ideal for detecting subtle changes in texture, vibration, and movement across the skin, such as when distinguishing between different fabrics or feeling the smooth surface of an object. They are crucial for tasks requiring fine motor skills and sensory feedback, contributing significantly to our understanding of the physical world through touch.