BIO271H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Vestibular Duct, Middle Ear, Zebrafish
Document Summary
Mechanoreceptors also include stretch receptors in the skin, auditory, and vestibular structures of the vertebrate ear. Mechanoreceptors are activated by a stretch or distortion of their plasma membrane. Transform mechanical stimuli into electrical signals. All organisms (and most cells) sense and respond to mechanical stimuli. Two main types of mechanoreceptor proteins: enac. Epithelial sodium channels: trp channels. Transient receptor potential channels. Structure for the 2 mechanoreceptors are essentially the same. Ion channel sitting on a membrane. Ion channel is gated by distortion of the membrane: pressure against the membrane causes the channel to open. Senses stimuli from the external environment. Specialized based on the accessory structures that they have. Vertebrate tactile receptors: many different types, but all co- exist in similar regions of the skin, widely dispersed in skin, receptor structure. Specialized to tell us more information about the external stimuli (e. g. , pacinian corpuscle) Free nerve endings in merkel"s disks.
