Sensory Receptors

Created by: TaraCBeckworth
Created on: 09-01-17 14:21

What is a sensory receptor?

A specialised cell which detects changes in the environment, located in sensory organs eg skin

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What do sensory receptors do?

Convert stimulus into a nerve impulse, which is then transmitted to the CNS, which then sends a message to the effector to trigger an appropriate response

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What are the 2 main features of a sensory receptor?

1) The are specific to a certain type of stimulus eg light, 2) They act as a transducer (converting stimulus to a nerve impulse)

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What are the 4 main types of sensory receptors and give an example of the sensory organ in which they can be found

1) Mechanoreceptors- detects pressure & movement (eg. skin), 2) Thermoreceptors- detects heat (eg tongue), 3) Chemoreceptors- detects chemicals (eg nose), 4) Photoreceptors- detects light (eg eyes)

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What is it called when a sensory receptor converts a stimulus into a nerve impulse?

Generator potential

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Name a specific receptor that detects movement and pressure (found in the skin)

Pacinian Corpuscle (Sp. Pac-in-ian Cor-pus-cle)

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Where are pacinian corpuscles most abundant?

In the fingers and soles of feet

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Describe the structure of a pacinian corpuscle

It is the end of a sensory neurone, which is surrounded by layers of connective tissue, with each layer separated by viscous gel

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How are the sodium ion channels different from a standard neurone?

They are a special type of sodium channel called a stretch-mediated channel, meaning that when they change shape, it adjusts their permeability

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Explain how a pacinian corpuscle turns mechanical pressure into a nerve impulse

Pressure is applied to PC which stretches the membrane, widening the sodium channels, positive sodium diffuses in, depolarising the membrane and in turn resulting in a generator potential which creates and action potential

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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What do sensory receptors do?

Back

Convert stimulus into a nerve impulse, which is then transmitted to the CNS, which then sends a message to the effector to trigger an appropriate response

Card 3

Front

What are the 2 main features of a sensory receptor?

Back

Card 4

Front

What are the 4 main types of sensory receptors and give an example of the sensory organ in which they can be found

Back

Card 5

Front

What is it called when a sensory receptor converts a stimulus into a nerve impulse?

Back

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Sensory Receptors