Mechanoreceptors are associated with the perception of touch/proprioception. With this being said, free nerve endings give nociceptive sensory information to perceive pain and would not be considered mechanoreceptors, while all other options are.

Both Meissner's corpuscles and Merkel receptors are located superficially underneath the top layer of the skin, the epidermis. This allows these receptors to have a smaller receptor field where more sensitive sensory information can be picked up. To help remember this, use the following tip: "M&Ms (Meissner/Merkel) are small (small receptor fields) and lay on top (superficially) of your hand."

The gate theory suggests that mechanoreceptors inhibit nociception. This is done by the mechanoreceptors because they activate an inhibitory neuron that stops signaling of the nociceptors. This theory can apply to the human reaction to when we stub our toe, our natural reaction is to grab the hurt area which stimulates mechanoreceptors and inhibits the nociception.

Muscles spindles and GTO's are both receptors of A alpha fibers. These fibers are associated with proprioception within the body. Furthermore, muscle spindles respond to the stretch of a muscle while Golgi tendon organs respond to tension at the tendinous junctions.

The semicircular canals detect rotation. They consist of three bony canals at right angles to each other. Each is filled with a fluid called endolymph and movement of the body causes the fluid to move. The fluid's movement against tiny hair cells within the canals allows the body to detect rotational acceleration. The cochlea is involved in hearing and the ossicles collectively transmit sound from the external environment/tympanic membrane to the cochlea.