mechanoreceptors
Pressure-detecting nerve endings
Mechanoreceptors are sensory nerve endings that respond to mechanical pressure or distortion—touch, pressure, vibration, stretch, or sound waves.
They're found throughout the body: in skin, muscles, joints, blood vessels, and the inner ear.
When tissue deforms, mechanoreceptors convert that physical change into electrical signals the nervous system can interpret.
The mechanoreceptors in your fingertips let you feel texture and pressure.
Sense of bodily movement
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- coordinationOrganized cooperative movement
- neuromuscularNerve-to-muscle signaling
Living tissue under epidermis
- epidermisOutermost tissue layer
- tactileOf the touching sense
- fingertipsTerminal phalanx pads
- dermatomeNerve's cutaneous territory
Spiral hearing organ
- vestibularOf the balance organ
- otolithInner ear balance crystal
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
Biological voltage detectors
Conveying toward central point
- somatosensoryRelating to bodily sensation
- neurophysiologyStudy of neural function
- transductionSignal or energy transformation
- neuroanatomyStudy of nervous system structure
neurobiology · electrophysiology · adaptation · threshold · innervation
Neurons sensing vascular pressure
- vascularOf blood vessels
- distensionEnlargement from pressure
kinesthesia
Sense of bodily movement
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- coordinationOrganized cooperative movement
- neuromuscularNerve-to-muscle signaling
dermis
Living tissue under epidermis
- epidermisOutermost tissue layer
- tactileOf the touching sense
- fingertipsTerminal phalanx pads
cochlea
Spiral hearing organ
- vestibularOf the balance organ
- otolithInner ear balance crystal
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
electroreceptors
Biological voltage detectors
afferent
Conveying toward central point
- somatosensoryRelating to bodily sensation
- neurophysiologyStudy of neural function
- transductionSignal or energy transformation
neuroanatomy · neurobiology · electrophysiology · adaptation · threshold · innervation
baroreceptors
Neurons sensing vascular pressure
- vascularOf blood vessels
- distensionEnlargement from pressure
mechanoreceptorsphotoreceptors
Cells sensing light
chemoreceptors · electroreceptors · baroreceptors · proprioceptors · light sensors