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Experimental Brain Research Dec 2021Single cutaneous fibers were recorded in the median nerve of the deeply anesthetized rat and the receptor morphology in the forelimb glabrous skin was analyzed to...
Single cutaneous fibers were recorded in the median nerve of the deeply anesthetized rat and the receptor morphology in the forelimb glabrous skin was analyzed to establish a probable correlation between receptor anatomy and physiology. Receptor complexes in the glabrous skin of the rat forelimb were stained immunologically with antibodies NF-200 and PGP-9.5, confirming the presence of Meissner corpuscles and Merkel complexes within the dermal papilla similar to other mammals including primates. Both the Meissner corpuscles and Merkel cell complexes were sparse and located in the pyramidal-shaped palmer pads and the apex of the digit extremities. They were almost totally absent elsewhere in the glabrous skin. No Ruffini receptors or Pacinian corpuscles were found in our samples. A total of 92 cutaneous fibers were retained long enough for analysis. Thirty-five (38%) were characterized as rapidly adapting fibers (RA) and 57 (62%) were slowly adapting afferents (SA). Despite the very limited number of receptors at the tip of the digit, RA receptors outnumbered SA fibers 3.2/1.0. In contrast, SA fibers on the thenar pad outnumbered RA receptors by a ratio of 3-1. Despite the very limited number of low threshold mechanoreceptors in the glabrous skin of the rat forelimb, the prevalence of SA afferents in the palm and more frequent occurrence of RA afferents in the digit extremity suggest differences in functionality both for locomotion and object manipulation.
Topics: Animals; Forelimb; Hand; Mechanoreceptors; Median Nerve; Rats; Skin
PubMed: 34519842
DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06193-7 -
Anatomical Record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007) Mar 2022Odontocete cetaceans have undergone profound modifications to their integument and sensory systems and are generally thought to lack specialized exocrine glands that in...
Odontocete cetaceans have undergone profound modifications to their integument and sensory systems and are generally thought to lack specialized exocrine glands that in terrestrial mammals function to produce chemical signals (Thewissen & Nummela, 2008). Keenan-Bateman et al. (2016, 2018), though, introduced an enigmatic exocrine gland, associated with the false gill slit pigmentation pattern in Kogia breviceps. These authors provided a preliminary description of this cervical gill slit gland in their helminthological studies of the parasitic nematode, Crassicauda magna. This study offers the first detailed gross and histological description of this gland and reports upon key differences between immature and mature individuals. Investigation reveals it is a complex, compound tubuloalveolar gland with a well-defined duct that leads to a large, and expandable central chamber, which in turn leads to two caudally projecting diverticula. All regions of the gland contain branched tubular and alveolar secretory regions, although most are found in the caudal diverticula, where the secretory process is holocrine. The gland lies between slips of cutaneous muscle, and is innervated by lamellar corpuscles, resembling Pacinian's corpuscles, suggesting that its secretory product may be actively expressed into the environment. Mature K. breviceps display larger gland size, and increased functional activity in glandular tissues, as compared to immature individuals. These results demonstrate that the cervical gill slit gland of K. breviceps shares morphological features of the specialized, chemical signaling, exocrine glands of terrestrial members of the Cetartiodactyla.
Topics: Animals; Exocrine Glands; Gills; Whales
PubMed: 34288509
DOI: 10.1002/ar.24707 -
JBJS Case Connector Jun 2021A 37-year-old man presented with pain and macrodactyly of a toe. Imaging and histology demonstrated findings consistent with macrodystrophia lipomatosa (MDL). We...
CASE
A 37-year-old man presented with pain and macrodactyly of a toe. Imaging and histology demonstrated findings consistent with macrodystrophia lipomatosa (MDL). We compared our findings with control tissue obtained from an identical site of a fresh-frozen cadaveric foot from the same anatomical site. Pacinian corpuscles (PCs) in the MDL tissue were increased in number, size, and shape compared with the control tissue and demonstrated edematous interstitial lamellae and vacuolar degenerative change. We also document the magnetic resonance imaging findings of the PCs.
CONCLUSION
Peculiar abnormalities of PCs in MDL underline nerve damage and may be a contributing factor in the pain associated with this unusual condition.
Topics: Adult; Fingers; Foot; Humans; Lower Extremity; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Pacinian Corpuscles
PubMed: 34129539
DOI: 10.2106/JBJS.CC.20.00785 -
Pathology Dec 2021
Topics: Aged; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Pacinian Corpuscles; Peritoneal Neoplasms; Peritoneum
PubMed: 33941381
DOI: 10.1016/j.pathol.2021.01.012 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2022The development of auditory sensors and systems is essential in smart materials of robotics and is placed at the strategic category of mutual communication between...
The development of auditory sensors and systems is essential in smart materials of robotics and is placed at the strategic category of mutual communication between humans and robots. We designed prototypes of the rubber-made equilibrium and auditory sensors, mimicking hair cells in the saccule and the cochlea at the vestibule of the human ear by utilizing our previously proposed technique of electrolytic polymerization on the hybrid fluid rubber (HF rubber). The fabricated artificial hair cells embedded with mimicked free nerve endings and Pacinian corpuscles, which are well-known receptors in the human skin and have already been elucidated effective in the previous study, have the intelligence of equilibrium and auditory sensing. Moreover, they have a voltage that is generated from built-in electricity caused by the ionized particles and molecules in the HF rubber due to piezoelectricity. We verified the equilibrium and auditory characteristics by measuring the changes in voltage with inclination, vibration over a wide frequency range, and sound waves. We elucidated experimentally that the intelligence has optimum morphological conditions. This work has the possibility of advancing the novel technology of state-of-the-art social robotics.
Topics: Humans; Polymerization; Robotics; Rubber; Skin, Artificial; Smart Materials
PubMed: 35891135
DOI: 10.3390/s22145447 -
Journal of Cutaneous Pathology Mar 2020Sclerotic fibroma (storiform collagenoma) is a rare benign skin tumor. A solitary tumor, as well as multifocal lesions, are found either sporadically, or associated with...
Sclerotic fibroma (storiform collagenoma) is a rare benign skin tumor. A solitary tumor, as well as multifocal lesions, are found either sporadically, or associated with Cowden syndrome. The tumor usually presents as clinically asymptomatic, slowly growing papule or nodule on the skin of the head, neck, and upper extremities. Microscopically the lesion is sharply demarcated, composed of hyalinized bands of collagen with low cellularity and a distinctive irregularly whorled or storiform pattern. We describe a case of a unique variant of this tumor in the scalp of a 33-year-old male. The tumor was microscopically composed of concentrically arranged collagen bundles with prevailing type III collagen, which resembled an enlarged Vater-Pacini corpuscle, with low density of CD34-positive and glucose transporter 1-negative spindle shaped cells. The specific microscopic appearance is suggestive of the term "Pacinian collagenoma" for this unique benign tumor.
Topics: Adult; Fibroma; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Humans; Male; Scalp; Sclerosis; Skin Neoplasms
PubMed: 31606915
DOI: 10.1111/cup.13595 -
Attention, Perception & Psychophysics Nov 2020The article was published with a typo in the article title. The word "corpusclel's" should read "corpuscle".
The article was published with a typo in the article title. The word "corpusclel's" should read "corpuscle".
PubMed: 33078382
DOI: 10.3758/s13414-020-02165-1 -
Annals of Anatomy = Anatomischer... Feb 2024Afferent innervation of shoulder joints plays a fundamental role in nociception and mechanoception and its alteration result in shoulder´s disease that course with pain...
BACKGROUND
Afferent innervation of shoulder joints plays a fundamental role in nociception and mechanoception and its alteration result in shoulder´s disease that course with pain and functional disability.
METHODS
Joints shoulder from healthy subjects (n = 20) and with chronic pain shoulder syndromes (n = 17) were analyzed using immunohistochemistry for S100 protein to identify nerve structures (nerve fibers and sensory corpuscles), coupled with a quantification of the sensory formations. Sensory nerve formations were quantified in 13 distinct areas in healthy joint shoulder and in the available equivalent areas in the pathological joints. Statistical analyses were conducted to assess differences between healthy shoulder and pathological shoulder joint (p< 0.05).
RESULTS
All analyzed structures, i.e., glenohumeral capsule, acromioclavicular capsule, the extraarticular structures (subcoracoid region and subacromio-subdeltoid bursa) and intraarticular structures (biceps brachii tendon and labrum articulare) are variably innervated except the extrinsic coracoacromial ligament, which was aneural. The afferent innervation of healthy human shoulder joints consists of free nerve endings, simple lamellar corpuscles and Ruffini's corpuscles. Occasionally, Golgi-Mazzoni's and Pacinian corpuscles were found. However, the relative density of each one varied among joints and/or the different zones within the same joint. As a rule, the upper half and anterior half of healthy glenohumeral capsules have a higher innervation compared to the lower and posterior respectably. On the other hand, in joints from subjects suffering chronic shoulder pain, a reduced innervation was found, involving more the corpuscles than free nerve endings.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings report a global innervation map of the human shoulder joints, especially the glenohumeral one, and this knowledge might be of interest for arthroscopic surgeons allowing to develop more selective and unhurt treatments, controlling the pain, and avoiding the loss of afferent innervation after surgical procedures. To the light of our results the postero-inferior glenohumeral capsular region seems to be the more adequate to be a surgical portal (surgical access area) to prevent nerve lesions.
Topics: Humans; Shoulder Joint; Shoulder; Chronic Pain; Mechanoreceptors; Sensory Receptor Cells
PubMed: 38154784
DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2023.152206 -
European Journal of Translational... Aug 2019The aim of this study was to characterize the microscopic structure and sensory nerve endings of the crural interosseous membrane (IM). 13 IMs from 7 cadavers were used...
The aim of this study was to characterize the microscopic structure and sensory nerve endings of the crural interosseous membrane (IM). 13 IMs from 7 cadavers were used to analyze the organization of the collagen fibers, IM's thickness, distribution of elastic fibers and nerve elements. The IM is mainly a two-layer collagen fascicle structure with the collagen fibers of adjacent layers orientated along different directions, forming angles of 30.5 +/- 1.7° at proximal and 26.6 +/- 2.1° at distal part (P>0.05). The percentage of elastic fibers between the two layers and inside the collagen fascicle layer is 10.1 +/- 0.5% and 2.2 +/- 0.1% (P<0.001). The IM's thickness at proximal, middle, and distal parts is 268.5 +/- 18.6μm; 293.2 +/- 12.5μm; 365.3 +/- 19.3 μm, respectively (Proximal vs Distal: P<0.001; Middle vs Distal: P<0.05). Nerve elements were present and located both inside and on the surface of the IM, whereas the mechanoreceptors are mainly located on the surface of the IM. Free nerve endings (33.3 +/- 5.0/cm) and Ruffini corpuscles (3.4 +/- 0.6/cm) were the predominant sensory elements, while Pacinian corpuscles (1.3 +/- 0.7/cm) were rarely found. The type of mechanoreceptors found suggests that the IM may play a role in proprioception.
PubMed: 31579480
DOI: 10.4081/ejtm.2019.8340 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2021Sensors are essential in the haptic technology of soft robotics, which includes the technology of humanoids. Haptic sensors can be simulated by the mimetic organ of...
Sensors are essential in the haptic technology of soft robotics, which includes the technology of humanoids. Haptic sensors can be simulated by the mimetic organ of perceptual cells in the human body. However, there has been little research on the morphological fabrication of cutaneous receptors embedded in a human skin tissue utilizing artificial materials. In the present study, we fabricated artificial, cell-like cutaneous receptors embedded in skin tissue mimicking human skin structure by utilizing rubber. We addressed the fabrication of five cutaneous receptors (free nerve endings, Krause and bulbs, Meissner corpuscles, Pacinian corpuscles and Ruffini endings). In addition, we investigated the effectiveness of the fabricated tissue for mechanical and thermal sensing. At first, in the production of integrated artificial skin tissue, we proposed a novel magnetic, responsive, intelligent, hybrid fluid (HF), which is suitable for developing the hybrid rubber skin. Secondly, we presented the fabrication by utilizing not only the HF rubber but our previously proposed rubber vulcanization and adhesion techniques with electrolytic polymerization. Thirdly, we conducted a mechanical and thermal sensing touch experiment with the finger. As a result, it demonstrated that intelligence as a mechanoreceptor or thermoreceptor depends on its fabric: the HF rubber sensor mimicked Krause and bulbs has the thermal and pressing sensibility, and the one mimicked Ruffini endings the shearing sensibility.
Topics: Humans; Mechanoreceptors; Rubber; Skin; Skin, Artificial; Touch
PubMed: 34696045
DOI: 10.3390/s21206834