The rapidly adapting touch receptor is:

NVS- 2025

Applied Physiology

Medium

Appeared in: NVS- 2025

Explanation

Cutaneous mechanoreceptors are classified by their adaptation speed to stimuli.
Meissner corpuscles are rapidly adapting receptors found in the superficial dermis of hairless skin, like fingertips and lips.
They are highly sensitive to light touch, changes in skin texture, and low-frequency vibrations (2-80 Hz).
This specialization makes them the primary receptor for discriminative touch, such as reading Braille or detecting an object slipping from grasp.
While Pacinian corpuscles also adapt rapidly, their function is more specific to vibration and deep pressure, making Meissner's the best fit for the general term 'touch receptor'.

Option A: This is a very close distractor. Pacinian corpuscles are indeed rapidly adapting, but they are located deeper in the dermis and are specialized for detecting high-frequency vibration (30-800 Hz) and deep pressure, rather than the light touch implied by the general term 'touch receptor'.
Option C: Merkel discs are slowly adapting receptors, meaning they continue to fire as long as a stimulus is present. They do not adapt rapidly.
Option D: Ruffini corpuscles are slowly adapting mechanoreceptors. They respond to sustained pressure and, importantly, to the stretching of the skin.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Classification and function of cutaneous mechanoreceptors as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
A key part of a neurological examination involves testing different sensory modalities. Assessing a patient's ability to feel light touch (testing Meissner's function) versus their ability to feel vibration from a tuning fork (testing Pacinian function) can help a nurse or doctor localize nerve damage or diagnose conditions like peripheral neuropathy.
Damage to specific nerve fibers can lead to a loss of specific sensations. For example, a patient might be able to feel pressure but not light touch, indicating a specific pathway is affected.
What if? If a patient with diabetes reports numbness and tingling in their fingertips, they are experiencing peripheral neuropathy. Initially, the large, myelinated fibers that serve Meissner and Pacinian corpuscles are often affected, leading to a diminished sense of fine touch and vibration, increasing the risk for undetected injuries.

How to Approach the Question

First, analyze the keywords in the question: 'rapidly adapting' and 'touch receptor'.
Recall the classification of the four main tactile receptors. You should remember that Merkel discs and Ruffini corpuscles are slowly adapting.
This allows you to immediately eliminate options C and D.
You are now left with two rapidly adapting receptors: Pacinian corpuscles and Meissner corpuscles.
To choose between these two, you must recall their specific functions. Meissner corpuscles are for light touch and texture, while Pacinian corpuscles are for deep pressure and high-frequency vibration.
Since the question asks for a general 'touch receptor' without specifying vibration, Meissner corpuscle is the most appropriate and best answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Physiology Guyton 4SAE Part 3 p. 96-98

E6 Anatomy Grays 43e Vol 1 Part 1 p. 98-100