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Generation of Responses in Receptor

  • Chapter
Principles of Receptor Physiology

Part of the book series: Handbook of Sensory Physiology ((SENSORY,volume 1))

Abstract

Receptors are specialized nerve cells and share with them a number of important properties. Therefore, a brief description of the general features of nerve cells may be useful as an introduction to the study of receptors. A diagram of a nerve cell and its connections is shown in Fig. 1. The cell includes a dendritic tree, the soma, the axon and terminal branches. In vertebrates, synaptic contacts occur mostly at the soma and dendrites; in invertebrates they may be located at the axon. In both vertebrates and invertebrates, dendrites may be absent. The axon can be over 1 m long, but in many cells it is so short (about 1 mm) that it cannot be easily distinguished from the dendritic branches (Golgi, 1883).

Diagram of nerve cells. The synaptic endings of nerve cells are supposed to be secretory elements which release a “transmitter” substance when their membrane is depolarized. The transmitter evokes a change of permeability of the postsynaptic membrane which may produce depolarization or hyperpolarization of the postsynaptic cell. Impulses are usually generated at the initial portion of the axon (cross-hatched area)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bethesda, Md., USA

    M. G. F. Fuortes

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  1. M. G. F. Fuortes
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York, 10032, USA

    W. R. Loewenstein

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Fuortes, M.G.F. (1971). Generation of Responses in Receptor. In: Loewenstein, W.R. (eds) Principles of Receptor Physiology. Handbook of Sensory Physiology, vol 1. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-65063-5_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-65063-5_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-65065-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-65063-5

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