Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Measurement of Vibration Detection Threshold and Tactile Spatial Acuity in Human Subjects
Published on: September 1, 2016
Filippo Pacini and the discovery of the Pacinian corpuscles
Gianfranco Natale1,2, Paola Lenzi1, Luigi Cofone3
1Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa , Italy.
Abstract:
Filippo Pacini was an Italian anatomist whose work significantly contributed to sensory physiology and microbiology. He first described specialized mechanoreceptors, later termed Pacinian corpuscles, recognizing their connection to nerves and role in tactile perception. Although initially overlooked, his findings became fundamental to modern aesthesiology. Pacini also identified Vibrio cholerae as the cause of cholera, anticipating key developments in epidemiology. This article contextualizes his discoveries within 19thcentury scientific debates and highlights the originality and lasting impact of his work.
Related Concept Videos
Sensory Functions of the Skin
There are two main categories of receptors on the skin: capsulated and non-capsulated. The non-capsulated ones are mainly the pain receptors. The capsulated ones can be further categorized based on the...
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels
Somatosensation
Nociception
Mechanism of Filopodia Formation
Their main function is to guide migrating cells during normal tissue morphogenesis or cancer metastasis by recognizing and making initial contacts with the extracellular matrix. However, they can also act as stationary cell anchors or help to establish communication...

