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CoursesPhysiologyNervous systemGeneral sensesMechanoreceptive somatic senses
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CoursesPhysiologyNervous systemGeneral sensesMechanoreceptive somatic senses

Mechanoreceptive somatic senses

Learning objectives

After completing this study unit, you will be able to:

  1. Define and classify mechanoreceptive somatic senses.
  2. Describe the structure and function of important cutaneous mechanoreceptors.
  3. Explain the role of receptive fields in two-point discrimination.
  4. Enumerate the various proprioceptors and explain their role in position sense.

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The general somatic senses include mechanoreceptive, pain and thermal sensations. The mechanoreceptive somatic senses are tactile and position senses, evoked by mechanical stimuli that physically move or distort specialized structures known as mechanoreceptors. Tactile sensations include touch, pressure and vibration, while proprioception refers to the sense of position.

Tactile senses are detected by cutaneous mechanoreceptors, primarily low threshold mechanoreceptors sensitive to gentle stimuli. These receptors include:

  • Epithelial tactile complexes (Merkel cell-neurite complexes)
  • Tactile (Meissner) corpuscles
  • Bulbous (Ruffini) corpuscles
  • Lamellar (Pacinian) corpuscles
  • Hair follicle endings

Each of these receptors is structurally suited to respond to a variety of tactile stimuli. They convey that sensory information along sensory neurons to the central nervous system.

Every cutaneous sensory neuron serves a specific area of skin, called a receptive field. Depending on the location, these fields vary in size and can overlap. The receptive fields and sensory neurons are important for two-point discrimination, which is the ability to distinguish two separate points of stimuli as distinct entities.

Position sense, also known as proprioception, involves awareness of the location and movements of different parts of the body at any given time. This sense includes both static proprioception (position of body parts at rest) and dynamic proprioception (awareness of body movements). Position sense requires proprioceptors located in joints, muscles and tendons. The most important proprioceptors are muscle spindles and tendon organs.

Watch the following video to learn more about the types of mechanoreceptive somatic senses and their receptors.

Explore concepts

General somatic senses

Cutaneous mechanoreceptors

Epithelial tactile complex
Complexus epithelialis tactus
1/7
Synonyms: Merkel cell-neurite complex

Sensory transduction and adaptation

Mechanoreceptors

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Get a sense of how well you know mechanoreceptive somatic senses with this quiz!

Summary

Key facts about mechanoreceptive somatic senses
Definition Sensation evoked by mechanical stimuli that physically move or distort a mechanoreceptor
Classification Tactile senses: touch (discriminative and non-discriminative), pressure and vibration
Position senses: static and dynamic proprioception
Mechanoreceptors for somatic sensation Cutaneous mechanoreceptors (tactile sense)
Proprioceptors (position sense)
Cutaneous mechanoreceptors Epithelial tactile complex (Merkel cell-neurite complex) : Slowly adapting receptor located in the stratum basale of the epidermis, detects fine touch and texture
Tactile (Meissner) corpuscle: Rapidly adapting receptor located in dermal papillae, detects fine touch and low-frequency vibration
Bulbous (Ruffini) corpuscle: Slowly adapting receptor located in the deep dermis, detects dermal stretch, finger position and movement
Lamellar (Pacinian) corpuscle: Very rapidly adapting receptor located in the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissue, detects changing deep pressure and high-frequency vibration
Hair follicle ending (Hair end organ): Slowly adapting receptor located around hair follicle bulbs, detects light touch
Receptive field An area from which a sensory neuron can pick up stimuli via sensory receptors
Two-point discrimination The ability to distinguish two separate points of stimuli as distinct entities
Two-point discrimination threshold: minimum distance between two points that can be perceived as distinct stimuli
The threshold on the fingertips is smaller than the back
Proprioceptors Joints: Type 1 (bulbous corpuscles), type 2 (lamellar corpuscles), type 3 (similar to tendon organs), type 4 (free nerve endings)
Muscles: Muscle spindle (slowly adapting, sensitive to muscle length and rate of change of length)
Tendons: Tendon (Golgi tendon) organ (slowly adapting, sensitive to muscle tension and rate of change of tension)

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