Today we will talk about what properties receptors have, consider the types and structure of analyzers. Without receptors, our life would be completely impossible. Imagine how our life would have looked without hearing, sight, smell, touch, taste.
The first and main function of analyzers is protection. Without hearing, we would not be able to hear any warning signals (car signal, emergency announcements on the radio, and so on); without vision they would be completely immersed in darkness, they would not know how beautiful our world is; the sense of smell can also protect us from danger (for example, with a gas leak); touch tells us about possible damage that can harm the body; taste buds allow us to distinguish sweet from salty or sour. And now let's talk a little about sensations and move on to the question of what properties receptors have.
Sensations
In total, several types of sensations can be distinguished:
- skin sensations;
- a sense of taste;
- sense of smell;
- visual sensations;
- auditory sensations;
- position in space;
- feeling of movement;
- organic.
It is important to note that the first type includes:
- touch
- pressure;
- touch;
- sensation of temperature;
- pain.
The 6th and 7th groups include both static and kinetic. By the 8th type we attribute these types of sensations:
- hunger;
- thirst;
- sensations of internal organs and so on.
Before we outline what properties receptors have, we will analyze their varieties.
Types of receptors
Now we suggest you give a classification according to some criteria. When asked what properties receptors have, biology (Grade 8) should give an answer to the students. We note the properties and functions in the next paragraph, and now - a classification according to the perception of the stimulus:
- mechanoreceptors;
- chemoreceptors;
- thermoreceptors;
- photoreceptors;
- nociceptors.
We have already given another classification; it is based on the point of view of psychophysiology. Recall that receptors are divided into groups:
- visual;
- auditory;
- flavoring;
- olfactory;
- tactile or tactile.
Functions and properties of receptors
In this section, we look at species, receptor functions, and properties. So, among the properties we can distinguish:
Now a little more about each of them. By specificity is meant that the receptor perceives only one type of stimulus. That is, receptors are monomodal, but this is not always the case, because most of them are able to perceive other irritations, only their sensitivity to them is much less.
So we gradually approached the second property - sensitivity. It can be measured, this indicator has a name - the absolute threshold of sensitivity. It is also important to note here that receptors can be divided by the rate of adaptation into:
- tonic;
- intermediate;
- phase.
Receptor functions:
- signal transmission;
- the conversion of physical energy into a nerve impulse;
- initial analysis of irritation.
Types and structure of analyzers
What properties have receptors, we briefly examined. We suggest moving on to the types and structure of analyzers.
To begin with, we introduce the very concept of “analyzer”. These are complex systems of nerve formations that allow you to analyze signals received from outside. They can be classified according to various criteria, but we will give the classification according to its purpose. So the analyzers are divided into:
- external;
- domestic;
- body position;
- painful.
The structure of the analyzer can be divided into three departments:
- peripheral;
- conductor;
- central.
Receptors belong to the first section, the chain of neurons to the second, and the second to 2 types of neurons that analyze information.
Vision
We found out what are the common properties of receptors. Now let's talk a bit about the visual center. To be extremely brief, the visual analyzer consists of the following structures:
- optical;
- auxiliary;
- neural.
All this helps to perceive and analyze light signals. Speaking separately about a person, due to the fact that the eyes are on the same line, it is possible to determine some parameters:
- depth;
- volume;
- distance and so on.
This suggests that human vision is binocular.
Hearing
So what are the properties of receptors? Recall: sensitivity and specificity. Nothing has changed regarding the auditory receptors. With ears we can only hear. This once again confirms that the receptors are specific, but do not perceive all sounds. This suggests that auditory receptors have the property of sensitivity.
The human hearing aid cannot perceive ultrasound and infrasound. Why? Infrasound has waves in the range of less than 20 Hz, and ultrasound is in excess of 20 KHz, which is beyond the sensitive threshold of human auditory receptors.
Touch
The general physiology of reception considered by us extends to tactile receptors. A very large number of tactile receptors are located throughout our body. It is thanks to them that we can distinguish between cold and hot, wet from dry. It is important to know that all receptors are different, that is, some are responsible for temperature, others for pain, and so on.
Sense of smell
A few words about the sense of smell. A person needs a nose, thanks to the scent we smell, taste food and so on. The nose protects us from many dangers, which are in some cases fatal to humans. The smell can affect the emotions and mood of a person. Remember, for sure you have a favorite smell from childhood (it can be fresh milk, the smell of baking or mother’s perfumes).
If we consider the animal world, then this is also a way to avoid some problems (animals mark their territory, a less strong male will never step into the territory of a stronger one).
Vestibular apparatus
Not everyone knows that there are special receptors in the human body that allow us to determine our position in space. If they were absent, then there would be no sensation of being upside down (for example, on rides, when performing acrobatic stunts and so on), we would fall out of the blue, suffer from eternal dizziness and so on.
This device is quite complicated. If there are violations in his work, then a person will have a very hard time, up to the point that he simply will not be able to navigate in space.
Taste
And finally - a little about what role taste plays in our lives. First of all, taste buds allow us to distinguish the taste of food.
All people are able to feel the taste characteristics, since the structure of the tongue is identical for everyone, and the taste buds are located on its surface. They have a name - taste buds. In our language there are a great many, but each of them is responsible for one shade of taste.