Properties of mechanoreceptive fibres serving skin grafts transferred to the hands of adult baboons (Papio anubis).

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Abstract
In 9 adult baboons, full-thickness skin grafts were reciprocally exchanged between 3 glabrous skin sites on 1 hand and glabrous skin sites on the contralateral hand or foot and a hairy skin site on the dorsum of the ipsilateral hand. The grafts acquired some of the physical characteristics of the recipient site; glabrous skin became thinner and more pliable on the dorsum of the hand and hairy skin became thicker nad displayed a more irregular surface contour when transferred to the palm. The electrophysiological properties of cutaneous mechanoreceptors serving these grafts were examined about 5 mo. after surgery and again after 1 yr. Measurements of conduction velocity, receptive field size and shape and responses to mechanical stimuli suggested that axons serving mechanoreceptors in glabrous skin grafts functioned at nearly normal levels by 5 mo., while axons innervating hairy skin grafts, whether transferred to a glabrous skin site or to a hairy skin site, performed less well even after 1 yr. Factors intrinsic to the graft evidently are a major determinant of the quality of sensory function achieved following a skin graft procedure. These factors affect the relative proportions of rapidly and slowly adapting fibers, conduction velocities, thresholds and receptive field configurations. As a result, hairy skin is not the tissue of choice for plastic surgical procedures requiring optimum sensory return.