Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Which six types of touch receptors are found in human skin?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Mechanoreception
In human skin, specialized nerve endings known as Meissner's corpuscles (or tactile corpuscles) are sensitive to touch. They are one of several different types of mechanoreceptors found in human skin.
There are six types of touch receptors found in human skin, which are categorized based on the specific mechanical stimuli they detect:
- Free nerve endings: Respond to superficial light touch.1
- Hair follicle receptors: Respond to superficial light touch.1
- Meissner corpuscles: Respond to superficial light touch.1
- Merkel endings: Respond to touch pressure.1
- Ruffini endings: Respond to touch pressure.1
- Pacinian corpuscles: Respond to vibration.1
These receptors play a vital role in mechanoreception, the process by which the body detects and responds to mechanical stimuli in the environment. While these receptors are specialized for different types of touch, they all function by converting mechanical deformation into electrical signals that the nervous system can interpret.21