Physiology

Cutaneous Receptors

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  • Meissner’s corpuscles: light touch
  • Pacinian corpuscles and Ruffini’s endings (in skin): pressure, mechanical deformation and vibration

  • Merkel discs: light touch
  • Free nerve endings: pain, mechanical deformation and temperature
    • Bradykinin, serotonin, histamine and acetylcholine can activate chemical pain receptors
    • Prostaglandins and substance P enhance sensitivity of pain receptors but don’t directly stimulate them

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Sensory Fibres