RECEPTOR ORGANS OF SENSORY NEURONS
Sensory receptors may be classified:
Central Modulation of Pain
 Opiate medications such as morphine
are likely to exert their analgesic effects
through receptors found in widespread
locations throughout the nervous
system, including receptors located on
peripheral nerves and neurons in the
spinal dorsal horn.
 Opiate receptors and endogenous
opiate peptides such as enkephalin, B-
endorphin, and dynorphin, are found in
particularly high concentrations at key
points in the pain modulatory
pathways.
 Enkephalin- and dynorphin-containing
neurons are concentrated in the
periaqueductal gray, RVM, and spinal
cord dorsal horn, while B-endorphin-
containing neurons are concentrated in
regions of the hypothalamus that
project to the periaqueductal gray.
 By function for example, nociceptor
(pain) or mechanoreceptor
 By structure, for example, encapsulated
or nonencapsulated (so-called free)
 By a combination of both structure and
function
 By anatomic location, for example
exteroceptors (skin receptors),
proprioceptors (muscle, tendon, joint
receptors), and visceroceptors
(receptors in internal body organs.)
 Sensory receptors provide information
about the location, intensity, and
duration of peripheral stimulus.
 They are designed to change
(transduce) one kind of energy to
another (i.e., touch to electrochemical
nerve impulse)
 Each receptor possesses a different
sensitivity and different adaptive
properties based on its response to
continuous monotonic stimulation.
 Receptors may adapt quickly or slowly.
 Quickly (fast) adapting receptors (phasic
receptors) produce impulse that
gradually decrease in strength in
response to constant and unvarying
stimuli.
 Slowly adapting receptors (tonic
receptors) continue their response level
throughout their activation and the
duration of stimulation.
 Fast adapting receptors thus detect
transient and rapidly changing stimuli,
whereas slow adapting receptors detect
a sustained stimulus.
 Slowly adapting receptors are of two
types:
 Type I receptors have
no spontaneous
discharge at rest and
more sensitive
vertical displacement.
 Type II receptors
maintain a slow regular
discharge at rest and
more sensitive
stretch.
 FREE (NONENCAPSULATED) NERVE
ENDINGS
 are the axonal endings designed for
sensory reception
 widest distribution throughout the
body and is most numerous in the skin
 mucous membranes, deep fascia,
muscles, and visceral organs
 The distal arborizations are located in
the epithelium between the cells, the
epithelium of the skin, the cornea, and
the mucous membranes lining the
digestive and urinary tracts, as well as in
all the visceral organs and blood
vessels.
 Certain specialized epithelial cells
(neuroepithelium), such as those found
in taste buds, olfactory epithelium, and
the cochlear and vestibular organs (hair
cells), receive free (receptor) endings.
 Tendons, joint capsules, periosteum,
and deep fascia
 Pain, touch, pressure, and tension, and
respond indirectly through so-called
neuroepithelia to sound, smell, taste,
and position sense.
 May be myelinated or unmyelinated
to
to
 Merkel’s corpuscles are slowly adapting
type I mechanoreceptors that are
distributed in the germinal layer
(stratum basale) of the epidermis.
 Groups of 5 or 10 are interspersed
among the basal layer cells.
 Unmyelinated free nerve endings form
an axonal expansion (e.g., Merkel’s
disk) that is closely applied to a
modified epidermal cell (Markel’s cell).
 Merkel’s cells are found in glabrous skin
in outer sheaths of the hairs in hairy
skin.
 Found in areas of transition between
hairy skin and mucous membrane.
 Synapse like junctions have been
observed between Merkel’s disks and
Merkel’s cells; their functional
significance is uncertain.
 Receptor subserves the sensory
modality of constant touch or pressure
and is responsible for the tactile gnosis
of static objects.
 Important for Braille reading
 The discharge frequency of Merkel’s
corpuscles is temperature-dependent.
 Cooling the skin increase the discharge
frequency, and warming inhibits the
discharge rate.
 ENCAPSULATED NERVE ENDNGS
 This group of receptors include the
corpuscles of Meissner, Vater-Pacini,
Golgi-Mazzoni, and Ruffini
 The so-called end bulbs
 The neuromuscular spindles; and the
tendon organ of Golgi
 MEISSNER’S TACTILE CORPUSCLES
 Meissner’s corpuscles are elongated,
rounded bodies of spirals of receptor
endings that are fitted into dermal
papillae beneath the epidermis they are
about 100 um in diameter.
 A Meissner’s corpuscle possesses a
connective tissue sheath that encloses
the spiral stacks of horizontally
arranged epithelioid cells.
 The endoneurium is continuous with
the capsule.
 When the myelin sheath terminates,
the axon (A beta fiber) arborizes among
the epithelial cells.
 For one to four myelinated axons, as
well as unmyelinated axons, enter the
capsule.
 Meissner’s corpuscles are distributed
widely in the skin but are found in the
greatest numbers in the hairless
(glabrous) skin f the finger, palm of the
hand, plantar surface of the foot, toes,
nipples, and lips.
 Rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors
 Sensory modality subserved by
Meissner’s corpuscles is low-frequency
(30 to 40 Hz) flutter-vibration and
moving touch.
 Under sustained pressure, and impulse
is produced at the onset, removal, or
change of magnitude of the stimulus.
 Meissner’s corpuscles are thus best
suited to signal direction and velocity of
moving objects on the skin.
 VATER-PACINI CORPUSCLES
 Vater-Pacini , more commonly known as
Pacinian, corpuscles are the largest and
most widely distributed encapsulated
receptor organs.
 Range up to 4 mm in length but usually
are smaller, they are the only
macroscopic receptor organ in the
body.
 The capsule is elliptical in shape and is
composed of concentric lamellae of
flattened cells (fibroblasts) supported
by collagenous tissue that invests the
unmyelinated distal segment of a large
myelinated (A beta) axon.
 The interlamellar spaces are filled with
fluid.
 Provided with their own blood supply,
which also makes them unique.
 Histologically, when cut or sectioned,
they look like a divided onion to which
they have been likened.
 Vater-Pacini corpuscles are
mechanoreceptors that are sensitive to
vibration.
 Maximally responsive at 250 to 300 Hz
 Corpuscles are rapidly adapting
receptors that respond only transiently
to on vibration and off vibration or at
the end of a step-wise change in
stimulus position.
 The recovery cycle of this receptor is
very short (5 to 6 ms)
 Rapid adaptation of Pacinian corpuscles
is a function of the connective tissue
capsule that surrounds the central
neural elements.
 The removal of the connective tissue
capsule transforms a Pacinian corpuscle
from a rapidly adapting receptor to a
slowly adapting one.
 Distributed profusely in the
subcutaneous connective tissue of the
hands and feet.
 Found in the eternal genitalia, nipples,
mammary glands, pancreas and other
viscera, mesenteries, linings of the
pleural and abdominal cavities, wall of
the blood vessels, periosteum,
ligaments, joint capsules, and muscles.
 Of the estimated 2 x 19 Pacinian
corpuscles in he human skin, more than
one-third are in the digits of the hand
and more than 1000 can be found in a
single finger.
 GOLGI-MAZZONI CORPUSCLES
 Golgi-Mazzoni corpuscles are quickly
adapting receptor organs that are
lamellated (like the Pacinian corpuscles)
 Distributed in the subcutaneous tissue
of the hands, on the surface of the
tendons, in the periosteum adjacent to
joints, and elsewhere.
 Detection of vibration with a maximal
response under 200 Hz
 RUFFINI’S CORPUSCLES
 Elongated and complex
 Found in the dermis of the skin,
especially the fingertips, but are widely
distributed, especially in joint capsules
 Receptor endings within the capsule
ramify extensively among the
supporting connective tissue bundles
 Type II slowly adapting
mechanoreceptors have been
associated with sensations of pressure
and touch as a velocity and position
detector
 Discharge of Ruffini’s corpuscles is
temperature-dependent increasing with
skin cooling and decreasing with skin
warming.
 Three types of Ruffini’s corpuscles have
been identified in joint capsules, based
on their position-related discharge.
 All three maintain constant baseline
output, but each type responds
differently.

 One type responds maximally at

extreme flexion, another type at
extreme extension, and a third midway
between flexion and extension of the
joint.

 END BULBS

 The end bulbs resemble the corpuscles

of Golgi-Mazzoni

 Have a connective tissue capsule

enclosing a gelatinous core in which
terminal, unmyelinated endings
arborize extensively.

 The end bulbs of Krause have been

associated with sensations of
temperature (cold) and are located
strategically and distributed widely.

 The structural complexity of these end

bubs varies remarkably, as does their
size.