AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Sensory receptors exist in all layers of the skin. There are six different types of mechanoreceptors detecting innocuous stimuli in the skin: those around hair follicles, Pacinian corpuscles, Meissner corpuscles, Merkel complexes, Ruffini corpuscles, and C-fiber LTM (low threshold mechanoreceptors).

Detailed explanation-2: -Specialized cells in an animal’s nervous system are called sensory receptors. Sensory receptors help an animal gather information about its environment. Sensory receptors are especially plentiful in sensory organs-the skin, ears, nose, mouth, and eyes-but they also occur in other parts of the body.

Detailed explanation-3: -According to the activating stimulus sensory receptors can be classified into electromagnetic receptors (photoreceptor, thermoreceptor), mechanoreceptors (hearing, touch, balance, osmoreceptor), and chemoreceptors (odorant receptor, gustatory receptor).

Detailed explanation-4: -A major role of sensory receptors is to help us learn about the environment around us, or about the state of our internal environment. Different types of stimuli from varying sources are received and changed into the electrochemical signals of the nervous system. This process is called sensory transduction.

Detailed explanation-5: -Chemoreceptors detect the presence of chemicals. Thermoreceptors detect changes in temperature. Mechanoreceptors detect mechanical forces. Photoreceptors detect light during vision.