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Notes On Receptor Physiology
Notes On Receptor Physiology
UNIT CONTENT
We have looked at the neuron and should have an idea how impulses
(action potentials) are conducted. However, at this point we have not
discussed just how stimuli are converted into impulses. All sensory
systems are designed to detect forms of energy and the interface
between stimulus and the response of a neuron is normally a structure
called a RECEPTOR. The process by which the various sensory receptors
convert a particular form of energy into another form is known as
transduction. In other words a receptor converts stimuli into impulses.
Narrated animation about skin receptors
Animation 1
Sensory Modalities
Stimuli can be divided into a range of different types or MODALITIES.
Receptors normally respond to only one type of stimuli (or sensory
modality), and that type of sensory modality is called the adequate
stimulus for a particular type of stimulus. For example, the adequate
stimulus for the eyes photoreceptors (rods and cones) is light and not
touch (mechanical stimuli).
Adequate Stimulus
Receptor Type
Mechanoreceptors Mechanical displacement
Types: Types:
muscle spindles
Ruffini endings Golgi tendon organs
joint receptors
Pacinian corpusles, Meisner corpusles vestibular apparatus
Provide touch and pressure. Distribution is somewhat
disproportionate throughout the body - lips and fingers
contain many more receptors per sq inch of surface
Provide uninterrupted knowledge about the
area
general position of our body in space prior
to and during movement - also provides us
Why? - these areas of the body are involved in very
with information regarding where are body
fine movements and therefore require greater levels of
segments are relative to each other
sensation
Receptors that are stimulated by physical deformation are known as
mechanoreceptors
MUSCLE SPINDLES
· Detect dynamic and static changes in muscle length
Muscle spindles are found in all somatic muscles, within the belly of the
muscle and run in parallel with the main muscle fibres. Whenever
skeletal muscle is stretched the muscle spindles are stimulated. They
detect changes in the length of muscle fibers as well as the rate of
change at which the muscles are lengthening.
More about the Nuclear Bag fibers and the GAMMA SYSTEM:
Nuclear chain fibre also have annulospiral sensory endings in the central
region (the nuclei are in line). It is a shared branch of the axon that
supplied the central area of the nuclear chain fibre. This sensory nerve is
of group Ia, the fastest found in the body.
Further out we see that there are other sensory endings, more closely
associated with the chain fibres. These fall into the
slower group II division of sensory nerves and are referred to
as SECONDARY endings in contrast to the centrally
located PRIMARY endings.
The two types of intrafusal fibre, (bag and chain) have different
mechanical properties, and respond differently to their largely separate
fusimotor fibres. They also differ in respect to their sensory endings.
Consequently, the information relayed to the CNS by the spindle via
group Ia and group II sensory endings is different.
The joint capsules and ligaments of all synovial joints in the skeletal
system are well endowed with proprioceptors. Collectively, joint
receptors provide us with information about: a) static position of a joint
in space (i.e. joint angles) b) endpoint positions of joints during active
movement
Joint Receptors
Receptor Type
Location
Response
Function
Associated Afferents
Type I
Ruffini-like
ligaments & joint capsule
Mechanoreceptor;
Slow adapting;
Active at end ranges (passive)
change of direction, amplitude, pressure, velocity to cerebellum
II
Type II
Pacinian-like
joint capsule & fat pads
Mechanoreceptor;
Rapid adapting;
Active at end ranges-dynamic
boost muscle at beginning of movement
II
Type III
GTO-like
ligaments
Mechanoreceptor;
Slow adapting;
Active under tension
protective reflex
Ib
Type IV
Free nerve-like
ligaments, joint capsule, fat, periosteum
Nocioceptor;
Slow adapting;
flexion reflex -->prevent further movement
A delta & C
Tactile (cutaneous) receptors
Type Adaptation
rate
(receptive fields)
Merkel Type I Slow
Ruffini Type II Slow
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