Thermoreceptor distribution in different skin layers and its significance for thermoregulation

Abstract

1. 1.|The activity pattern of 50 cold receptors of the rabbit nose back skin was investigated. 2. 2.|The latency of the response of individual cold receptors to identical cold stimuli varied between 0.8 ± 0.3 to 29.4 ± 4.5 s; maximal firing rates are attended after 5.5 ± 0.5 to 72.2 ± 6.2 s. Characteristic phasic responses are only demonstrated by short latency receptors. 3. 3.|The results suggest that cold receptors are distributed throughout the skin of the rabbit's nose. 4. 4.|Changes of temperature gradients between different skin layers were measured at different ambient temperatures. 5. 5.|It is suggested that cold receptors might indicate heat flow through the skin.