Sensory Systems Flashcards
Taste and smell
-Respond to molecules in
the environment (or our
mouth) that bind to
receptors in the cell
membrane
Chemosensory Systems
Touch hearing and balance
-Respond to physical deformation
of the plasma membrane
* Opens a Na+ ion channel,
causing an action potential to fire
* Responsible for our sense of
touch
mechanoreceptor systems
Sight
Electromagnetic receptor systems
In most multicellular animals, the receptor
cells are organized into ______
sensory organs
-Imbedded in cells that communicate with
neurons (taste and sight)
* Or are embedded
directly in neuron membranes (smell)
Membrane Receptors
on
our tongue are
specialized cells that
synapse with sensory
neurons
Taste Buds
What responds to light touch
Merkels Disks
respond to touch
and low-frequency
vibration
Meissner’s
corpuscles
detect stretch,
deformation within
joints, and warmth
Ruffini endings
Detect transient pressure and high frequency
Pacinian Corpuscles
Sense of hearing and balance are dependent on _______-
Hair Cells
What do hair cells use to sense mechanical vibrations
stereocilia on their surface
Hair cells that are
responsible for hearing in
vertebrates are contained in
the_______
cochlea
Incus, malleus, and stapes
Middle ear bones
ear detects gravity, acceleration, and deceleration using 3 semicircular canals
vestibular system
Detects angular momentum in one plane that the head can turn (nodding up-down, turning left/right or moving side to side)
Semicircular canal
Respond to e electrical, magnetic, and light stimuli
Electromagnetic receptors
The most common electromagnetic receptors
Photoreceptors
Light sensitive protein that converts light energy into electrical signals
opsin
Each Opsin protein contains what
A pigment called retinal
composed of hundreds of ommatidia each a lens that individually sense light.
Compound Eye (fly)
focuses light on a retina and allows for a high degree of acuity
–focus an inverted
image on the retina, a thin,
photoreactive tissue in the back of
the eye
Single-lens eye (humans)
what kind of eye only detects light intensity
and direction
Eyecups
blue-green sensitive; the
brain interprets this as black-and-
white vision
Rod cells
