Distribution of pacinian corpuscles in the hand of the monkey, Macaca fuscata

The size and distribution of pacinian corpuscles were investigated in the palmar aspect of both hands of the monkey, Macaca fuscata. Most pacinian corpuscles were located in the dermis (dermal type) and subcutaneous tissue (subcutaneous type) throughout the hand. On light microscopy there were no differences in the structure of these 2 types, although almost all the subcutaneous type had a greater longitudinal dimension than the dermal type. Corpuscles were oval or elliptical and their longitudinal and transverse dimensions varied from 156 to 2025 microns and 88 to 1240 microns, respectively. Many pacinian corpuscles were in close relation to the small blood vessels, and their diameters were as large as those of capillaries. There were 458 corpuscles (dermal type: subcutaneous type = 140:318) in the right hand and 416 (186:230) in the left hand. About 40% of the corpuscles in each hand were found in the digital region; the remainder were located in the palm. The mean number of corpuscles in each finger was 33 and they were concentrated in the distal and middle phalanges. In the palmar region, most corpuscles were localised in the 2nd and 3rd interdigital eminences and the thenar and hypothenar eminences.