Final answer:
Meissner's corpuscles, or tactile corpuscles, are the nerve endings in the skin that are specifically responsible for responding to the lightest touch. Merkel cells also respond to light touch, particularly shapes and textures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The skin contains various nerve endings that respond to different types of stimuli. The nerve endings that respond to the lightest touch are Meissner's corpuscles, also known as tactile corpuscles. Merkel cells, also known as type I cutaneous mechanoreceptors, sense light touch as well but are particularly good at sensing shapes and textures.
Meissner's corpuscles are encapsulated, rapidly-adapting mechanoreceptors embedded in the skin, which are highly concentrated on the tips of the fingers. These corpuscles are sensitive and can detect low frequency vibrations - for example, when you drag your finger across a textured surface. These specialized sensory structures allow us to sense our environment and react accordingly.