Final answer:
The area on the skin that excites a mechanosensory neuron is linked to specialized sensory receptors such as Meissner corpuscles, Pacinian corpuscles, Merkel cells, Ruffini endings, and the hair follicle plexus. These structures detect different forms of touch like light touch, vibration, and skin stretching.
Step-by-step explanation:
The area on the surface of the skin that excites a mechanosensory neuron is typically associated with various types of specialized sensory structures. These structures include Meissner corpuscles (tactile corpuscles), which respond to light touch; Pacinian corpuscles (lamellated corpuscles), which respond to vibration; Merkel cells (type I cutaneous mechanoreceptors), which sense low frequency vibrations; Ruffini endings, or bulbous corpuscles, which detect skin stretching; and the hair follicle plexus, which senses the movement of hair. Each of these sensory receptors has a distinct receptive field — an area of skin that, when stimulated, activates the sensory neuron associated with the receptor. The complex interplay of these mechanoreceptors allows the skin to act as a sophisticated sensory organ, enabling the detection of a wide range of tactile stimuli.