mechanoreceptor

(noun)

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

Related Terms

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.