sormenpäät

Sormenpäät, Finnish for fingertips, are the distal ends of the fingers. They feature thickened, highly innervated skin that is specialized for touch and manipulation.

Anatomy: The skin on sormenpäät is glabrous (hairless) and has a very thick stratum corneum; underlying connective tissue forms a soft pad that improves grip; the surface bears dermal ridges, or fingerprints.

Sensation: They contain a high density of mechanoreceptors, including Meissner's corpuscles, Merkel discs, Pacinian corpuscles, and Ruffini endings. Innervation comes from proper digital nerves of the median and ulnar nerves. The two-point discrimination threshold is among the lowest of the body, reflecting high tactile acuity.

Function: The fingertips enable fine tactile exploration, texture and edge detection, and precise grip and manipulation of objects. Sweat glands and the skin's friction properties aid grip and sensitivity.

Clinical and developmental notes: Fingerprint patterns (dermatoglyphics) are unique to each person. Tactile acuity of the fingertips can decline with age or peripheral neuropathies; conditions such as diabetes or nerve injuries can impair fingertip sensation.