Final answer:
Pacinian corpuscles are specialized, rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors located deep in the dermis that respond to deep touch and high-frequency vibrations between 40 - 400 Hz. They are found in various parts of the body, including both glabrous and hairy skin, and are sensitive to changes in pressure and texture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Characteristics of Pacinian Corpuscles
The characteristics of Pacinian corpuscles include:
- The end of a DRG cell winds through a stack of flattened skin cells that are positioned deep in the dermis of both glabrous and hairy skin.
- Placement in various locations, including the bone periosteum, joint capsules, pancreas, and other viscera, as well as in the breast and genitals.
- A response field with a relatively large size, detecting deep transient pressure and high-frequency vibration.
- Responsive to deep touch and particularly sensitive to high-frequency vibrations, typically between 40 - 400 Hz.
- Rapidly adapting, meaning they can quickly respond to changes in stimulus pressure.
- High sensitivity to vibrations, allowing them to detect subtle variations in pressure and texture.
Pacinian corpuscles are one of several types of mechanoreceptors, including Merkel's disks, Ruffini endings, Meissner's corpuscles, and hair receptors which respond to different types of stimuli such as light touch, stretch, and hair movement.