Understanding Sensory Receptors: Classification, Functions, and Role in Perception

Peripheral Nervous system (PNS) provides links to the rest of your bodyhas 4 partsPart 1 Sensory Receptors Part 2 Transmission Lines: Nerves and Their Structure and RepairPart 3 Motor Endings and Motor ActivityPart 4 Reflex Activity Slides will cover part 1 and 2Sensory Receptors What do sensory receptors specialize to?What happens when sensory receptors get activated?What are the three ways to classify receptors?

Sensory receptors specialize in detecting and responding to specific types of stimuli from the environment and transmitting this information to the central nervous system (CNS)

Sensory receptors specialize in detecting and responding to specific types of stimuli from the environment and transmitting this information to the central nervous system (CNS). When sensory receptors get activated by a specific stimulus, such as light, sound, touch, temperature, or chemicals, they generate electrical signals or impulses that are transmitted to the CNS.

There are three ways to classify sensory receptors:

1. Based on the type of stimulus they detect:

a. Photoreceptors: specialized for detecting light, found in the retina of the eye.
b. Mechanoreceptors: specialized for detecting mechanical stimuli like touch, pressure, vibration, and hearing. Examples include receptors in the skin, inner ear, and organs involved in touch and pressure perception.
c. Thermoreceptors: specialized for detecting changes in temperature. They are located in the skin, hypothalamus, and other internal organs.
d. Chemoreceptors: specialized for detecting different chemicals, such as those involved in taste and smell. They are found in the taste buds on the tongue and the olfactory epithelium in the nasal cavity.
e. Nociceptors: specialized for detecting pain and are found throughout the body, including the skin, joints, and internal organs.

2. Based on the location of receptors:

a. Exteroceptors: found near the body surface and respond to external stimuli. Examples include receptors for touch, pressure, and temperature in the skin.
b. Interoceptors: located in the internal organs and respond to internal stimuli. Examples include receptors in the walls of blood vessels that monitor blood pressure.
c. Proprioceptors: found in muscles, tendons, and joints, and provide information about body position, movement, and muscle tension.

3. Based on the structure and adaptation of receptors:

a. Nonencapsulated (free) nerve endings: these receptors are simple nerve endings that lack a specialized structure. They are found throughout the body and respond to a wide range of stimuli, including touch, pressure, temperature, and pain.
b. Encapsulated nerve endings: these receptors are surrounded by a connective tissue capsule, which enhances their sensitivity and selectivity to specific stimuli. Examples include Meissner’s corpuscles for light touch and Merkel’s disks for light touch and texture perception.

By classifying sensory receptors based on these criteria, scientists can better understand their unique functions, characteristics, and their overall role in our perception of the world around us.

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