Final answer:
The four distinct skin senses that make up touch are pressure, temperature, pain, and vibration, mediated by specialized receptors like mechanoreceptors, thermoreceptors, and nociceptors in the skin.
Step-by-step explanation:
The skin's ability to perceive tactile stimuli includes four distinct skin senses: pressure, temperature, pain, and vibration. These sensations are mediated by special touch receptors within the skin. The receptors responsible for these senses are mechanoreceptors (for pressure and vibration), thermoreceptors (for temperature), nociceptors (for pain), and proprioceptors (for position and movement).
For example, Meissner's corpuscles are sensitive to light touch, while Pacinian corpuscles respond to deep pressure and vibration. Ruffini endings detect stretching of the skin and sustained pressure. The free nerve endings throughout the skin layers sense painful stimuli and changes in temperature, contributing to the highly integrated system of somatosensation that helps us interact with our environment.