Exercise A - General Sense Receptors

Unencapsulated Nerve Endings

Dendrites not wrapped in connective tissue

Free Nerve Endings

Widespread, responding to pain, heat and cold

Tactile Disks

Located in basal layer of the epithelium and respond to light touch and pressure

Hair Receptors

Surround the base of hair follicles and monitor the movement of hairs in response to light touch

Encapsulated Nerve Endings

Sensory dendritic fibers that are encased in connective tissue or glial cells

Tactile Corpuscles

Concentrated in hairless areas of skin like fingertips, palms, lips, and tongue; responsive to light touch

End Bulbs

Found in mucous membranes

Lamellar Corpuscles

Respond to deep pressure, stretch, and vibration; located in dermis, joint capsules, periosteum, and some viscera

Bulbus Corpuscles

Responsive to heavy touch or pressure and stretching of skin

Receptive Field

Area in which a stimulus is detected by a sensory receptor

Tactile Localization

Ability to locate the specific area on the body receiving tactile stimuli

Two-Point Touch Discrimination

Ability to discriminate between two points of contact

Sensory/Neural Adaptation

Phenomenon where responsiveness of receptor changes with prolonged stimulation

Phasic Receptors

Adapt very quick to stimuli and include hair receptors, lamellar corpuscles, and tactile corpuscles responsible for cutaneous pressure and touch

Tonic Receptors

Adapt slowly to stimuli and continue to generate nerve signals; include proprioceptors and nociceptors

Referred Pain

Phenomenon of perceiving sensation of pain at a location distant from the stimulus