Chapter 16.1, Problem 5AYLO

Summary Introduction

To discuss:

The five categories of receptors classified by stimulus modality.

Introduction:

Structures that are specialized for the detection of a stimulus, such as pain and heat, are referred to as sensory receptors. Such receptors can either be real sense organs or simple nerve endings. Sense organs (many complex structures containing receptors) combine other tissues, such as muscular, epithelial, and connective tissues, with nervous tissues. The nervous tissues enhance the response of the sense organs to a particular kind of stimulus. Sense organs are involved in the transmission of data (through neurons) to the specific place inside the nervous system. Such sense organs may range from simple microscopic structures, like dendrites, to complex structures, like the ear and the eye.