Concept
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Transduction and Perception
Mechanoreceptor activation
(a) Mechanosensitive ion channels are gated ion channels that respond to mechanical deformation of the plasma membrane. A mechanosensitive channel is connected to the plasma membrane and the cytoskeleton by hair-like tethers. When pressure causes the extracellular matrix to move, the channel opens, allowing ions to enter or exit the cell. (b) Stereocilia in the human ear are connected to mechanosensitive ion channels. When a sound causes the stereocilia to move, mechanosensitive ion channels transduce the signal to the cochlear nerve.
Source
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"OpenStax College, Sensory Processes. October 17, 2013."
http://cnx.org/content/m44754/latest/Figure_36_01_01f.jpg
OpenStax CNX
CC BY 3.0.