We investigated three-dimensional distribution of lamellated corpuscles (LCs) in the dermal papillae in the rat forehand. Rats (Wistar, male, 4-5 weeks-old, n=3) were perfused with 20%formardehyde. The forehands were decalcified in 10% EDTA (pH 7.4) for 40 days at 4 °C. Frozen serial 70µm-thick sections were cut and immunohistochemically proceeded using primary antibodies against protein gene product 9.5 and S100β protein to reveal axons and Schwann cells respectively. All LCs in the palm skin pads (proximal 3 (P1-3) and distal 3 pads (D1-3) from the lateral to medial) were observed with confocal laser microscope and mapped on photoimages. Collected images were photomontaged, aligned and three-dimensionally reconstructed to analyze. P3 was the largest (3.5mm in longitudinal, 3.0mm in cross) whose tip was situated distal-lateral position and a U-shaped prominence could be seen. P2 was secondary larger, seemed as a laterally reversed shape of P3. P1 at the base of the 1st phalange was the smallest. D1-3 showed one-third small of the P3. They all presented laterally distorted domy shape. Epidermis was thick and dermal papillae were well-developed especially in prominent area. Subcutis included adipose tissue and mainly a mass of the sweat gland. LC was consisted of PGP9.5 positive axon terminal which got thin usually at the bottom, flatly enlarged at the tip and concentrically surrounded by S100β positive lamellae. All LCs were situated in the dermal papilla. LCs were observed scarcely in any gentl-sloping dermal papillae. LCs showed various in form, e.g., J- and L-shaped, corkscrew-like, fork-tailed. Bifurcated axon terminals in the lamellae also could be observed. Some long axes of LCs were orthogonally oriented, and some were parallel to the skin surface. Most LCs existed in a complex consisted of multiple LCs and shared a dermal papillae. Each skin pad included 174(d1), 169(d2), 118(d3), 86(p1), 278(p2), 276(p3) LC complexes respectively (n=1). It was obvious that those LCs were distributed typically at prominent part of the pads. Our results highly suggested that LC would be densely distributed in the dermal papillae whose skin surface may be easily touched with external objects and that portions could be much sensitive.