Meissner's corpuscles are best described as what kind of receptors and where are they located?

• A. Encapsulated fast adapting receptors for two-point discrimination and pressure in non-hairy skin
• B. Free nerve endings for pain, crude touch, tickle, and itch
• C. Found in the deep dermis
• D. Temperature receptors that respond to heat

Answer: (A)

Meissner's corpuscles are encapsulated, rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors located in the superficial portion of the skin (the papillary dermis) of glabrous, non-hairy areas like the fingertips. Their design makes them ideal for detecting light touch and texture, including two-point discrimination, because they respond quickly at the onset of contact and adapt rapidly to a sustained stimulus. This combination of being encapsulated and fast-adapting, plus their location in non-hairy skin, distinguishes them from other receptor types. Free nerve endings mediate pain, crude touch, itch, and tickle and are not encapsulated in the same way, and they aren’t restricted to the superficial papillary layer. Temperature receptors for heat are a different class of sensory endings and are not Meissner’s corpuscles.