A quantitative study of Meissner's corpuscles in man

Abstract

From study of 3-mm. punch biopsy specimens of skin, sectioned and then stained by the cholinesterase technique, mean values have been established for the in vivo concentration (number per unit area) of whole Meissner''s corpuscles in the finger and toe of persons between the ages of 10 and 80 years. There is a decrease in the concentration of Meissner''s corpuscles with increasing age. The evidence suggests that the decrease during the growing years is due to increase in size of the digit; reasons for the continuing decrease during middle and late life are not known. With increasing age, the Meissner corpuscles become sparse, irregular in horizontal distribution, and more varied in size and shape. There is suggestive evidence that an observed greater concentration of Meissner''s corpuscles in the little finger of females as compared to males is accounted for by larger size of the little finger in males, the total number of Meissner''s corpuscles being the same in both sexes.