The term "nerve corpuscle" refers to a specialized nerve ending that responds to pressure and vibration. Its spelling follows the principles of English phonetics, represented by the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). In this term, the stress falls on the first syllable, which is pronounced as /nɜrv/. The second syllable corresponds to the word "corpuscle," which is pronounced as /ˈkɔrpəsəl/. Together, the word is pronounced as /ˈnɜrv ˈkɔrpəsəl/ and represents an essential component of the nervous system that registers the body's tactile sensations.
A nerve corpuscle, also known as a Pacinian corpuscle, is a specialized sensory receptor found in various tissues of the body, especially those associated with the sense of touch. It is named after its discoverer, Filippo Pacini, an Italian anatomist.
Nerve corpuscles are intricately structured and are predominantly found in the skin, subcutaneous tissues, and various mucous membranes. They are primarily responsible for detecting and responding to mechanical stimuli, such as pressure, vibrations, and touch sensations.
A typical nerve corpuscle consists of an oval-shaped, onion-like capsule composed of multiple concentric layers of connective tissue. Within this capsule, there is a single, elongated sensory nerve fiber known as the axon. The axon is surrounded by fluid-filled spaces that act as conductors for transmitting and amplifying sensory signals.
When an external mechanical force is applied to the body surface, the pressure deforms the capsule and stimulates the sensory nerve ending within the corpuscle. This triggers a series of electrochemical impulses through the axon, leading to the transmission of the sensory information to the brain, where it is interpreted as a touch or pressure sensation.
The presence of nerve corpuscles in various tissues helps to ensure the body's ability to perceive and respond to tactile stimuli accurately and efficiently.
• (1) Neuron; (2) one of the nuclei under the neurilemma in a medullated nerve fiber.
• Nerve-nucleus.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The term "nerve corpuscle" is a compound word comprised of two components: "nerve" and "corpuscle".
The word "nerve" comes from the Latin word "nervus", which means "sinew" or "nerve". It has its origins in the Proto-Indo-European root "*(s)neu-", which means "to spin" or "to twist". This root evolved into various words related to sinew, tendon, or nerve in different Indo-European languages.
The word "corpuscle" comes from the Latin word "corpusculum", which means "little body" or "particle". It is a diminutive form of the Latin word "corpus", meaning "body". The term was originally used to refer to small entities or particles, and its use in biology expanded to describe different microscopic structures or elements.