Spatial frequency tuning in cutaneous type I receptors

The multiple-focus, anatomical organization of the T1/SA I receptor limits its ability to encode features of a textured surface. Thus, when a grate is matched to the intrinsic ability of a receptor to encode a specific period, the grate ridges are encoded in a receptor´s action potential (AP) event stream at an AP bursting rate equivalent to the instantaneous temporal frequency of the stimulus. Tuning characteristics appear to be a function of the spatial organization of a receptor and can be predicted using a simple, space/time invariant numerical model. In general, the models confirmed that a two-dome receptor was able to encode grating ridges in its AP bursting rate when the period of the ridges was an integral submultiple of a receptor´s interdome spacing.<>