Identification of the Ruffini corpuscle in human hairy skin.
A Ruffini corpuscle was identified in the dense reticular dermis of the human scalp from a patient with alopecia areata. The corpuscle measured approximately 50 micrometer in diameter. One afferent myelinated axon with a diameter of 4-6 micrometer supplies the corpuscle. Branched axon terminals and the associated Schwann cells tightly envelop parallel bundles of collagen fibrils. Axon terminals evidenced focal swellings, and small finger-like protrusions projected into the endoneural connective tissue. The terminals are characterized by the presence of abundant mitochondria, numerous vesicles, particles of glycogen and electron-opaque lipid material. A thin perineural capsule envelops the bundles of collagen fibrils and associated terminals. The present study provides the first electron-microscopic characterization of a Ruffini corpuscle in human hairy skin.
D000328:Adult; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003094:Collagen; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009411:Nerve Endings / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012535:Scalp; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation*
D003094:Collagen