Roles of sensory receptors 5.3.1 Flashcards
What is a Pacinian corpuscle?
A pressure sensor found in the skin
What are sensory receptors?
Cells/sensory nerve endings that respond to a stimulus in the internal or external environment of an organism and can create action potentials
What is a transducer?
A cell that converts one form of energy into another - in this case an electrical impulse
What does the retina detect, and what energy change is involved?
Light intensity
- Light to electrical
What do the temperature receptors in skin/hypothalamus detect, and what energy change is involved?
Change in temperature
- Heat to electrical
What do the pacinian corpuscles in the skin detect, and what energy change is involved?
Change in pressure on skin
- Movement to electrical
What do vibration receptors on the cochlea detect, and what energy change is involved?
Change in sound
- Movement to electrical
What do the hair cells in the inner ear detect, and what energy change is involved?
Movement
- Movement to electrical
What do the muscle spindles detect, and what energy change is involved?
Change in length of muscle
- Movement to electrical
What do the olfactory cells in the epithelium of the nose detect, and what energy change is involved?
Chemicals in the air
- Chemical to electrical
What do the chemical receptors in the taste buds detect, and what energy change is involved?
Chemicals in food
- Chemical to electrical
Describe the structure of a pacinian corpuscle
- Oval shaped
- Many concentric rings of connective tissue (lamellae)
- Contain fibroblasts which produces the connective tissue
- Sensory nerve fibre
What type of sensory receptors are pacinian corpuscles?
Mechanoreceptors
How is a generator potential created in pacinian corpuscles?
- Pressure is applied to layers
2.Gated sodium ion channels open - A generator potential is created
- If enough channels open, an action potential is created
Where are pacinian corpuscles most abundant?
In the fingers and soles of the feet
