A skin biopsy from the fingertip shows a dermal papilla containing an ovoid encapsulated receptor with flattened lamellar cells stacked transversely like a stack of coins, innervated by a single A-beta fiber. Which receptor is described and what is its principal modality?
- A Ruffini corpuscle, sustained skin stretch
- B Pacinian corpuscle, deep pressure and high-frequency vibration
- C Meissner corpuscle, rapidly adapting light touch and low-frequency vibration ✓
- D Merkel cell neurite complex, slowly adapting discriminative touch
Correct answer: C. Meissner corpuscle, rapidly adapting light touch and low-frequency vibration
Explanation
Meissner corpuscles occupy dermal papillae of glabrous skin, show horizontally stacked lamellar cells, and mediate rapidly adapting fine touch and low-frequency flutter around 50 Hz. Pacinian corpuscles are larger, located deeper in dermis and hypodermis, with concentric onion-like lamellae tuned to high frequencies near 250 Hz.
Reference: Junqueira's Basic Histology: Text and Atlas, 16th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.