Mechanoreceptors refer to sensory receptors that sense mechanical changes in the body such as pressure, vibration, stretching or distortion. Mechanoreceptors may be encapsulated or unencapsulated receptors. Pacinian corpuscles, Meissner's corpuscles and Ruffini's corpuscles are encapsulated while Merkel's disk and free nerve endings are unencapsulated mechanoreceptors.
Important mechanoreceptors with their properties are listed below in the table.
Mechanoreceptor
|
Description
|
Sensation carried
|
Adaptation
|
Pacinian Corpuscle
|
Onion like structure; lies in subcutaneous tissue; Encapsulated
|
Vibration; tapping
|
Rapidly adapting
|
Meissner’s Corpuscle
|
Present in non-hairy skin; Encapsulated
|
Velocity
|
Rapidly adapting
|
Ruffini’s Corpuscle (Bulbous Corpuscle)
|
Spindle shaped; Encapsulated
|
Pressure; skin stretch
|
Slowly adapting
|
Merkel’s Disk
|
Transducer lies on epithelial cells; Unencapsulated
|
Location; two-point discrimination
|
Slowly adapting
|
Free Nerve Endings
|
Resemble fine plant roots; Unecapsulated
|
Pain
|
Different rate of adaptation
|
Keywords: Mechanorecptors, Sensory receptors, Pacinian corpuscles, Meissner's corpuscles, Ruffini's corpuscles, Merkel's disk, Free nerve endings
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