receptors + control of heart rate Flashcards
what is the role of receptors
-gather info from the environemnt and transmit it to the CNS via the sensory neurons
what is the generator potential
-to convert one form of energy to another
-the stimulus to electrical energy (nervous impulse)
what are the 3 specific examples of receptors that I need to know abt
-pacinian corpuscle
-rod cells
-cone cells
what does the pacinian corpuscle only respond to
-changes in mechanical pressure - it is a mechanoreceptor
where are pacinian corpuslces found
-the skin
-tendons
-muscles
-joints
OF MAMMALS
what does the pacinian corpuscle consist of
-single senosry neuron
-one end of which consits of a capsule made of rings of connective tissue that acts as a pressure-sensitive pad
-depolaristaion in the middle of the capsule
describe how the pacinian corpuscle works
1-the STRECH-MEDIATED SODIUM ION CHANNEL PROTEINS are too narrow to allow sodium ions through in their normal resting state - this is the neurones’ resting potential
2-application of pressure against the connective tissue deforms/stretches the stretch-mediated sodium ion channel proteins in the plasma membrane - making it wider so that Na+ can pass through
3- this causes an influx of positively charged Na+ ions into the sensory neuron- this reverses the potential difference across the plasma membrane - the inside becomes temporarily +ve - depolarisation
4- the electrical potential created by the stretching is proportional to the stimulus intensity - this graded potential is known as the generator potential
5- if the stimulus is above a critical level the graded potential is high enough to trigger the transmission of the nerve impulse along the sensory neurone - if the stimulus is below the critical level then no impulse is transmitted - all or nothing law
when does the pacinian corpuscle stop responding in a situation
-when it is given an unchanging stimulus - so that the sensory system is not overloaded with unnecessary info
what is sensory adaptation
-when there is a decline in the generator potential
-so nerve impulses transmitted in a sensory neuron become less frequent
-may eventually stop
what are the two types of photoreceptor in the retina of the eye
-rods
-cones
what is the structure of a cone cell
-outer segment -light sensitive
-membrane carrying pigment - iodopsin
connected to the inner segment by connecting cillia
-mitochondira
-nucleus
-end bulb - meet bipolar cells at synapses
what is the structure of a rod cell
-outer segement -light sensitive
-membrane carrying pigemt - rhodopsin
connected to the inner segment by connecting cillia
-mitochondira
-nucleus
-end bulb - meet bipolar cells at synapses
what are the differences bwt rod and cone cells
-different pigments rod = rhodopsin/ cone = iodopsin
-shape is different - rod are skinnier
rods
- more numerous in the retina than cones
-spread approx evenly across the retina although there are none in the fovea
-occurs only as one type of cell
-unable to detect colour
-sensitive to low light intensity
-provide low visual acuity because several rods share a connection to optic nerve
cone
-less numerous in retina than rod
-more numerous in the fovea than elsewhere in the retina
-occur as 3 types of cell each with a different form of iodopsin senstve to green,red and blue light
-able to detect colour
-are only sensitive to high light intensity
-provide high visual acuity bc each cine has its own connection to the optic nerve
how are rod and cone cells arranged
-conected to pugemented epitheilium
-end bulbs connect to bipolar neruones
-these connect to ganglion cells
-the axons of the ganglion cells form the optic nerve which carry impulses to the brain
what does a rhodopsin molecule consist of
-protein unit
-opsin
-retinal unit
how do rod cells maintain a resting potential
-sodium-potassium pump
-K+ ions in Na+ out
-gated Na+ channels open so Na+ flows back in
- down conc gradient
-net result is that the cell is +ve charged at rest (depolarised)
what is the effect of the neurotransmitter glutamate on the resting potential of a rod cell
-when resting the rods secrete a steady stream of glutamate
-diffuses across the synaptic cleft and prevent the bipolar neuron from becoming depolarised
what happens when light falls onto the rod cell
-rhodopsin absorbs the light and the energy causes the rhodopin to split into opsin and retinal
-causes Na+ channels to close
-Na+ ions can no longer move into the cells and the inside of the rod cell becomes -ve charges and is hyperpolarised
-the hyperpolarisation of the rod causes it to stop releasing glutamate
-bipolar neuron now becomes depoalrised and in turn causes the generation of an action potential in the ganglion cells
-the axon of which runs along the optic nerve and an impulses is sent to the brain
what happens in the rod cell when it is dark
-cell is not depolarised so no impulse via the optic nerve
-no transmitter substance produced by bipolar cell
-transmitter substance inhibits depolarisation so bipolar cell remains polarised
-transmitter substance released by rod cell
-rod cell depolarised
-gated Na+ channels open leading to the constant inflow of Na+ ions
what is bleaching
-when the rhodopsin splits into retinal and opsin
-these need to recombine to reform rhodopsin
-to restimulate the rod cell
why do rod cells only operate in low light intensities
-very sensitive to light - so even a single photon iks enough to trigger hyperpolarisation
what is dark adaptation
-when move from light area to dark area
-not able to see very well at first
-but then rhodopsin is gradually reformed and then are able to see easier
why is cone cells /iodopsin better in high light intensity
-only broken down by high intensity
-genrated much quicker than rhodopsin
what differes bwt the 3 types of cone cell
-each type absorbs more strongly in a different section of the visible spectrum
-red,green and blue sensitive pigments