<s>
Merkel	B-Algorithm
nerve	I-Algorithm
endings	I-Algorithm
are	O
mechanoreceptors	O
,	O
a	O
type	O
of	O
sensory	B-Architecture
receptor	I-Architecture
,	O
that	O
are	O
found	O
in	O
the	O
basal	O
epidermis	O
and	O
hair	O
follicles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
mammals	O
,	O
Merkel	B-Algorithm
nerve	I-Algorithm
endings	I-Algorithm
have	O
a	O
wide	O
distribution	O
and	O
are	O
found	O
in	O
the	O
basal	O
layer	O
of	O
glabrous	O
and	O
hairy	O
skin	O
,	O
in	O
hair	O
follicles	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
oral	O
and	O
anal	O
mucosa	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
humans	O
,	O
Merkel	O
cells	O
along	O
with	O
Meissner	B-Algorithm
's	I-Algorithm
corpuscles	I-Algorithm
occur	O
in	O
the	O
superficial	O
skin	O
layers	O
,	O
and	O
are	O
most	O
densely	O
clustered	O
beneath	O
the	O
ridges	O
of	O
the	O
highly	O
sensitive	O
fingertips	O
which	O
make	O
up	O
fingerprints	O
,	O
and	O
less	O
so	O
in	O
the	O
palms	O
and	O
forearm	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
hairy	O
skin	O
,	O
Merkel	B-Algorithm
nerve	I-Algorithm
endings	I-Algorithm
are	O
clustered	O
into	O
specialized	O
epithelial	O
structures	O
called	O
"	O
touch	O
domes	O
"	O
or	O
"	O
hair	O
disks	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Merkel	B-Algorithm
receptors	I-Algorithm
are	O
also	O
located	O
in	O
the	O
mammary	O
glands	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
are	O
tactile	B-Algorithm
sensors	I-Algorithm
in	O
the	O
business	O
of	O
mechanotransduction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Merkel	B-Algorithm
disks	I-Algorithm
can	O
also	O
respond	O
to	O
light	O
touch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Merkel	O
cell	O
's	O
somewhat	O
rigid	O
structure	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
they	O
are	O
not	O
encapsulated	O
,	O
causes	O
them	O
to	O
have	O
a	O
sustained	O
response	O
in	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
action	B-Algorithm
potentials	I-Algorithm
or	O
spikes	B-Algorithm
)	O
to	O
mechanical	O
deflection	O
of	O
the	O
tissue	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
of	O
their	O
sustained	O
response	O
to	O
pressure	O
,	O
Merkel	B-Algorithm
nerve	I-Algorithm
endings	I-Algorithm
are	O
classified	O
as	O
slowly	O
adapting	O
in	O
contrast	O
to	O
rapidly	O
adapting	O
receptors	O
by	O
Pacinian	B-Algorithm
and	O
Meissner	B-Algorithm
's	I-Algorithm
corpuscles	I-Algorithm
,	O
which	O
respond	O
only	O
to	O
the	O
onset	O
and	O
offset	O
of	O
mechanical	O
deflection	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
mammals	O
,	O
electrical	O
recordings	O
from	O
single	O
afferent	O
nerve	O
fibres	O
have	O
shown	O
that	O
the	O
responses	O
of	O
Merkel	B-Algorithm
nerve	I-Algorithm
endings	I-Algorithm
are	O
characterized	O
by	O
a	O
vigorous	O
response	O
to	O
the	O
onset	O
of	O
a	O
mechanical	O
ramp	O
stimulus	O
(	O
dynamic	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
continued	O
firing	O
during	O
the	O
plateau	O
phase	O
(	O
static	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
inter-spike	O
intervals	O
during	O
sustained	O
firing	O
are	O
irregular	O
,	O
in	O
contrast	O
to	O
the	O
highly	O
regular	O
pattern	O
of	O
inter-spike	O
intervals	O
obtained	O
from	O
slowly	O
adapting	O
type	O
II	O
mechanoreceptors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Merkel	B-Algorithm
nerve	I-Algorithm
endings	I-Algorithm
are	O
the	O
most	O
sensitive	O
of	O
the	O
four	O
main	O
types	O
of	O
mechanoreceptors	O
to	O
vibrations	O
at	O
low	O
frequencies	O
,	O
around	O
5	O
to	O
15Hz	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Merkel	B-Algorithm
nerve	I-Algorithm
endings	I-Algorithm
are	O
extremely	O
sensitive	O
to	O
tissue	O
displacement	O
,	O
and	O
may	O
respond	O
to	O
displacements	O
of	O
less	O
than	O
1μm	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Merkel	B-Algorithm
's	I-Algorithm
discs	I-Algorithm
have	O
small	O
receptive	O
fields	O
which	O
allow	O
for	O
them	O
to	O
detect	O
fine	O
spatial	O
separation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Merkel	B-Algorithm
's	I-Algorithm
discs	I-Algorithm
are	O
named	O
after	O
German	O
anatomist	O
Friedrich	O
Merkel	O
(	O
1845	O
–	O
1919	O
)	O
,	O
who	O
was	O
30	O
years	O
old	O
when	O
he	O
described	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
burns	O
,	O
Merkel	B-Algorithm
endings	I-Algorithm
are	O
most	O
commonly	O
lost	O
.	O
</s>
