SENSORY AND MOTOR MECHANISM

Sensory receptors -Transduce stimulus energy and transmit signals to the CNS.
 Stimuli = forms of energy
 Sensation involves converting energy into a change in the membrane potential of sensory
receptors.
 Sensations are action potentials that reach the brain via sensory neurons.
 The brain interprets sensations, giving the perception of stimuli.

Sensory pathway

Sensory Reception
 Detection of stimulus
Sensory receptors

 Detect head, light, pressure, chemicals

 Blood pressure, body position
Sensory transduction

 Conversion of stimulus to change in membrane potential

 Charge difference in membrane due to ions.
Transmission

 Passage of nerve impulse along axons and across synapses

 Sensory cells without axons release neurotransmitters at synapses with sensory neurons
 Larger receptor potentials generate more rapid action potentials
 Integration of sensory information begins when information is received.
Perception

 Interpretation of sensory system input by brain.

 Action potentials = all or none!!
Example:

 Colors, smells, sounds, taste

o Is there a sound if a tree falls and no one is around to hear it?

MODIFICATION OF STIMULI
Amplification

 Strengthening of stimulus energy

 During transduction
 Produces many product molecules by one enzyme
Adaptation

 Decrease in responsiveness
 Allows you to filter stimulus

TYPES OF SENSORY RECEPTORS

Mechanoreceptors

 Sense physical deformation

 Pressure, touch, stretch, motion, sound
Chemoreceptors

 Both general and specific

 General = total solute concentration
 Specific = chemicals that attach to specific receptor proteins
Electromagnetic receptors

 Detect electromagnetic radiation

 Light, electricity, magnetism
Thermoreceptors

 Detect heat and cold

Pain receptors

 Extreme pressure or temperature

 Nocireceptors
o Detect noxious conditions

HEARIN IN MAMMALS
 Ear converts energy of pressure waves to nerve impulses.
 Mechanoreceptor = hair cells
 Signal is amplified before it reaches the hair cell.
1. Moving air causes tympanic membrane to vibrate.
2. 3 bones transmit vibrations to oval window – membrane on cochlea’s surface.
3. When bone vibrates on oval window, pressure waves created in fluid
4. In vestibular canal, pressure causes hairs to vibrate up and down.
5. Mechanoreceptors open or close ion channels in membrane.
SOUND VARIABLES
Volume

 Determined by amplitude of sound wave.

 Larger volume = greater bending of hairs
Pitch

 Determined by sound wave’s frequency

 High frequency = high pitch

EQUILIBRIUM IN MAMMALS – Inner ear detects movement, position and balance

Utricle & Saccule

 Chambers located behind oval window

 Sheet of hair cells that go into a gelatinous material
 Contains otoliths
Semicircular canals

 Connected to utricle
 Detect turning of the head

MUSCLE CONTRACTION
Skeletal muscle

 Striated
 Connected to bones
Thick Filaments

 Staggered arrays of myosin

Thin Filaments

 2 strands of actin and 2 strands of a regulatory protein coiled

SKELETAL MUSCLE
 Sarcomere
o Repeating unit
 Z lines
 M lines
SLIDING FILAMENT MODEL – Thin and thick filaments slide past each other increasing the
overlap of the fibers.
Head of Myosin

 Binds ATP to provide energy for muscle contraction

Tail of myosin

 Adheres to other trails of myosin to form the thick filament

MUSCLE FIBER CONTRACTION

 Myosin head is bound to ATP (low energy)

 Myosin hydrolyzes ATP to ADP now in high E

 Myosin head binds to action = cross-bridge

 ADP is released, myosin returns to low E, thin filament slides