[3] Pacinian corpuscles are also found on bone periosteum, joint capsules, the pancreas and other internal organs, the breast, genitals,[4] and lymph nodes.

[3] The capsule consists of 20-70 concentrically-arranged connective tissue lamellae around the axon terminal at its center, forming a structure much like an onion.

[citation needed] If the corpuscle's capsule is experimentally removed, the divested axon terminal becomes slowly adapting.

[3] Pacinian corpuscles are rapidly adapting phasic receptors that detect gross pressure changes and vibrations in the skin.

[7] Their optimal sensitivity is 250 Hz, and this is the frequency range generated upon fingertips by textures made of features smaller than 1 μm.

[12] Pacinian corpuscles sense stimuli due to the deformation of their lamellae, which press on the membrane of the sensory neuron and causes it to bend or stretch.

[13] When the lamellae are deformed, due to either application or release of pressure, a generator or receptor potential is created as it physically deforms the plasma membrane of axon terminal, making it "leak" different cations through mechanosensitive channels which initiates the receptor potential.

Action potentials are formed when the skin is rapidly distorted but not when pressure is continuous because of the mechanical filtering of the stimulus in the lamellar structure.

The frequencies of the impulses decrease quickly and soon stop due to the relaxation of the inner layers of connective tissue that cover the nerve ending.

[17][18] John Shekleton, a curator of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, also discovered them before Pacini, but his results were published later.