Receptor Types

Question 1

What are the structural receptor types and an example?

Answer 1

Free nerve endings (nociceptors for pain)
Encapsulated nerve endings (muscle spindles) (proprioception sensitive mechanoreceptors)
Separate cells (taste buds) (chemoreceptors)

Question 2

What are the locational receptor types?

Answer 2

Exteroreceptors - located near surfaces, provide info about external environment
Interoreceptors - located in blood vessels + organs, provide info about internal environment
Propriocetors - located in muscles, joints, tendons and inner ear, provide info about body position, muscle length + tension, position of joints and equilibrium

Question 3

What are the receptors types related to type of stimulus detected?

Answer 3

Mechanoreceptors
Chemoreceptors
Thermoreceptors
Osmoreceptors
Nociceptors
Photoreceptors

Question 4

Describe how an action potential is made from a pacinian corpuscle

Answer 4

Pressure is applied to the pacinian corpuscle
The lamellae are deformed causing them to press of the sensory neuron tip
This physically deforms the neuron’s plasma membrane causing it to leak Na+
This causes depolarisation

Question 5

What are the adaptations of sensory receptors?

Answer 5

Phasic receptors quickly adapt and send info to CNS about sudden changes e.g. the placement and removal of an object in your hand

Other sensory receptors adapt slowly allowing the detection to detect subtle continuous changes, e.g. joint positions