mechanoreceptor

(noun)

Any receptor that provides an organism with information about mechanical changes in its environment, such as movement, tension, and pressure.

Related Terms

  • thermo receptor
  • thermoreceptor
  • nociception

Examples of mechanoreceptor in the following topics:

  • Somatosensation: Pressure, Temperature, and Pain

    • The receptors in the skin, also called cutaneous receptors, tell the body about the three main subdivisions mentioned above: pressure and surface texture (mechanoreceptors), temperature (thermoreceptors), and pain (nociceptors).
    • Mechanoreceptors in the skin give us a sense of pressure and texture.
    • Thus, there are four types of mechanoreceptors based on the four possible combinations of fast vs. slow speed and large vs. small receptive fields.
    • Mechanoreceptors can be free receptors or encapsulated.
  • The Endocrine System and Hunger

    • Stretch receptors (mechanoreceptors that respond to an organ being stretched or distended) work to inhibit appetite when the GI tract becomes distended.
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