Meissner corpuscles are primarily responsible for which sensation?

• A. Deep pressure
• B. Fine touch
• C. Proprioception
• D. Temperature

Answer: (B)

Meissner corpuscles are specialized superficial touch receptors that respond to light, dynamic touch. Located just beneath the epidermis in glabrous skin (for example, fingertips), they have small receptive fields and adapt rapidly to changing stimuli, enabling precise spatial discrimination of textures and edges. This makes them the primary mediators of fine touch. In contrast, other receptors handle different sensations: deeper pressure and high-frequency vibration are mainly detected by Pacinian corpuscles, steady pressure and texture involve Merkel cells, and temperature and pain come from thermoreceptors and nociceptors, with proprioception arising from receptors in muscles and joints.