Sensory receptors Flashcards
what are sensory receptors
are nerve endings, often with specialized non-neural structures
What do sensory receptors induce
convert different forms of energy into frequency of Action Potentials (APs)
what is a sensory modality
a type of stimulus activating a particular receptor
what is the type of energy a receptor normally responds to called
an adequate stimulus
What are Mechanoreceptors
stimulated by mechanical stimuli
what are the mechanoreceptors in joints and muscles that signal information related to body or limb position called
Proprioceptors
What are the receptors that respond to pain
Nociceptors
Damage to the nerve by stimuli activates a generator potential which in turn opens
ion channels causing ion flow across the membrane
an adequate stimulus causes a graded membrane potential change called
receptor potential
For action potential to be fired what needs to happen
receptor potential reaches threshold
frequency coding of stimulus intensity means
the larger the receptor potential the higher the frequency of APs in sensory neurone
Merkel receptors senses
pressure and texture
Pacinanan corpuscle sense
vibration
meissners corpuscle senses
flutter and stroking movement
ruffini corpuscle senses
skin stretching
Adaption of sensory nerves is
stimulus is enough to trigger an AP, but as stimulus continues generator potential decreases so mechanoreceptor only responds to onset of stimulus
ie stimulus there but you are no longer consciously aware
Rapidly/Moderately-adapting receptors are
Pacinian corpuscles and Meissner’s corpuscles
Slowly-adapting receptors are
Merkel’s discs and Ruffini endings
Why don’t Nociceptors adapt
important not to ignore painful stimuli
Whats is the structure of Pacinian corpuscles
a myelinated nerve with a naked nerve ending,
naked nerve ending enclosed by a connective tissue capsule of layered lamella
Describe how Pacinian corpuscles respond to stimuli
mechanical stimulus deforms capsule nerve ending is stretched ion channels open Na+ enters local depolarisation generator potential reaches threshold APs fire at myelinated nerve detect stimulus ON
How does the Pacinian corpuscles show rapid adaptation
Due to fluid redistribution in the capsule, removes mechanical stretch of nerve ending, causing stimulus to disappear and AP stop firing