Senses Flashcards
What is the function of sensory receptors?
To convert physical and chemical stimuli to neural signals.
What are the three types of ionotropic sensory receptors?
Mechanoreceptors, thermoreceptors and electroreceptors.
What opens the ion channels of mechanoreceptors?
Pressure
What influences the cation channel of thermoreceptors?
Temperature
What opens the ion channels of electroreceptors?
Electric charge
What are the two types of metabotropic sensory receptors?
Chemoreceptors and photoreceptors
What causes the opening of ion channels in chemoreceptors?
Ligand binding
What causes photoreceptor ion channels to open?
Light that alters the receptor protein and initiates a signal cascade.
What is receptor potential?
Changes in resting membrane potential of the sensory receptor cell.
What does the type of sensation experienced depend on?
Which neurons receive APs from sensory cells.
How do all sensory systems process information?
As action potentials.
Why do sensations differ?
As it is dependent on which area of the CNS the AP arrives.
What is adaptation?
When sensory cells give gradually diminishing responses to maintained or repeated stimulation.
When do rapid adapting cells produce signals?
When stimulus turns on and then off, not in the middle.
What responses can ligand binding to chemoreceptors result in?
Feeding, fighting and recognising individuals.