Question

Which of the following cutaneous receptors detect changes in texture and slow vibrations?
A. Meissner’s corpuscles
B. Merkel nerve endings.
C. Nociceptor
D. None of the above.

Answer 1

Hint: Cutaneous receptors are a sensory type of receptors that are present in the epidermis or dermis. It is part of the somatosensory system and it includes cutaneous mechanoreceptor, nociceptor and thermo-receptors.

Complete answer: Cutaneous mechanoreceptor includes ruffini's end-organ for skin stretch, end-bulbs of Krause for cold, meissner's corpuscle for changes in texture, slow vibrations, pacinian corpuscle for pressure, fast vibrations, merkel's disc (sustained touch and pressure) and free nerve endings.
-Meissner’s corpuscles are also known as tactile corpuscles, which are the kind of mechanoreceptors that are responsible for sensitivity to light touch. These corpuscles are encapsulated by unmyelinated nerve endings and surrounded by Schwann cells. They are distributed over the skin, but concentrated in the region, sensitive to light touch areas, such as fingers and lips. They are especially present in glabrous skin just below the epidermis within dermal papillae. They are sensitive to shape and the textural difference in exploratory and discriminatory touch and vibrations.
-Merkel nerve endings are also mechanoreceptors that are present in hair follicles and basal endings. Such nerve endings provide information about the position, mechanical pressure, shapes, and edges. Merkel cells of the basal epidermis store serotonin that is released in response to pressure. It is also able to respond against light touch.
-Nociceptor is sensory neurons and develops from neural crest stem cells and responds against threat signal or damaging signal which creates attention in the body that is useful to mitigate the threat and this process is called nociception.
Hence, the correct option is A.

Note: Apart from meissner's cell, the pacinian corpuscle is sensitive to vibration and touch. Thermo-receptors are sensitive to temperature while free nerve ending is sensitive to pain and itch. Chemoreceptors are responsible to produce a chemical that induces biological signals in the body.