Pacinian corpuscle

The Pacinian corpuscle (also called a lamellar corpuscle or Vater–Pacini corpuscle) is a special kind of sensor in our bodies called a mechanoreceptor. These sensors help us feel things like vibration or pressure. You can find Pacinian corpuscles in our skin and even inside some organs.

These corpuscles are especially common in places like the hands, feet, arms, and neck. They are also in other important places in the body such as bone periosteum, joint capsules, the pancreas, the breast, genitals, and lymph nodes.

Pacinian corpuscles are very quick to respond to things that touch them, but they stop responding after a short time even if the pressure continues. They are best at sensing vibrations and deep pressure, especially fast vibrations. They help us understand how things feel, like whether a surface is rough or smooth, and they also help us know where our body parts are in space, a ability called proprioception.

Structure

Pacinian corpuscles are larger and less common than other types of skin sensors like Meissner's corpuscles, Merkel cells, and Ruffini's corpuscles. They can be up to 2 mm long and almost 1 mm wide, and some are big enough to see without a microscope. These corpuscles are found deep in the skin's dermis.

Each Pacinian corpuscle is linked to a special nerve ending that helps it sense pressure quickly. The corpuscle is wrapped in layers of tissue, similar to an onion, which helps it detect vibrations and quick changes in pressure.

Function

Pacinian corpuscles are special sensors in the skin that help us feel pressure changes and vibrations. They are very good at detecting vibrations, especially those around 250 Hz, which is a common frequency when touching rough surfaces. These corpuscles work best when the skin is pressed quickly but stop sending signals when the pressure stays the same.

These corpuscles can sense vibrations from a distance and may even help us feel movements in our joints. They play a role in figuring out where we are touching something with tools we hold in our hands. Their ability to detect these sensations helps our body understand the world around it.

Main article: Phasic receptors

History

Pacinian corpuscles were the first cellular sensory receptor ever observed. They were first reported by German anatomist and botanist Abraham Vater and his student Johannes Gottlieb Lehmann in 1741, but ultimately named after Italian anatomist Filippo Pacini, who rediscovered them in 1835. John Shekleton, a curator of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, also discovered them before Pacini, but his results were published later. Similar to Pacinian corpuscles, Herbst corpuscles and Grandry corpuscles are found in bird species.

Additional images

Diagrammatic sectional view of the skin (magnified)

Schema (German)

Light micrograph showing three corpuscles in the center of the field

Micrograph of a Pacinian corpuscle