Collagen fibers induce expansion of receptive field of Pacinian corpuscles

Pacinian corpuscles within the skin are mechanoreceptors with a high sensitivity and a broad receptive field, and they contribute to texture evaluation and contact detection. They are distributed in small numbers in the subcutaneous tissue, which is a deep layer in the skin. We propose a new skin model with texture of collagen fibers, based on observations of the thumb of a Macaca fuscata. A finite element analysis using the model reveals that collagen fibers disperse stress concentrations in the subcutaneous tissue, leading to a broad receptive field for Pacinian corpuscles while maintaining their high sensitivity.