Pacinian Corpuscles in the Human Fetal Finger and Thumb: A Study Using 3D Reconstruction and Immunohistochemistry

The detailed distribution of Pacinian corpuscles was evaluated by viewing the transverse sections of all fingers and thumbs, including the interdigital areas, from eight hands of five fetuses of gestational age 28-33 weeks (crown-rump length 230-290 mm). Among the 40 fingers and thumbs, serial sections were prepared for 3D reconstructions of nerve elements in the distal and middle phalangeal segments of three fifth fingers; in these three fingers, the distal segment contained 45-75 Pacinian corpuscles. These Pacinian corpuscles were 0.2-1.0 mm in length and 0.05-0.3 mm in thickness, oriented along the proximodistal axis and arranged along the palmar digital nerve branches. Other than beneath the digital skin, small corpuscles (