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Why are Pacinian corpuscles especially sensitive to vibration?
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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.
Pacinian corpuscles are specialized mechanoreceptors that are highly sensitive to vibration due to their unique structural design, which facilitates a fast response and quick recovery.1
These receptors consist of a central nerve fiber surrounded by onion-like layers of connective tissue. This lamellated structure functions as a shock absorber, effectively transmitting rapid mechanical events while damping out slower changes. Because of this configuration, the central fiber—which is inherently capable of sustained firing—responds only to rapid stimuli with one or two action potentials, making them ideal for detecting vibration.12