The sensory receptors in the skin detect touch, pressure, hot and cold, and pain. Some of these receptors are called slowly adapting because they produce a sustained response to a constant stimulus. Others are rapidly adapting and produce a transient response to the beginning or end of a stimulus.

Directions: Drag, quickly touch, or hold a finger, pin or iron on the surface of the skin and note how the different receptors respond to each stimulus type and delivery.

Which part of the body has the highest density of touch receptors?

Touch receptors are the densest in areas with high sensitivity, such as the lips and the genitals, with a proportional allocation of processing space in the brain. The back has the least density of touch recpetors and if you have someone place two fingers close together on your back, you may only detect it as one!