Question

Explain how receptors convert physical stimuli into electrical signals using the following terms: transduction, threshold, adequate stimulus, receptive field, receptor potential. You do not need to include the steps of any specific transduction pathway.

Answer 1

Transduction: It is the phenomenon of conversion of energy of stimulus into the useful information that can be utilized and processed by the nervous system.

Threshold: It the minimum level of stimulus that is necessary to activate a receptor. It is the minimum depolarization associated to initiate an action potential.

Adequate stimulus: It is possessed by every sensory receptor. It is most response form.

Receptive field: The somatic sensory and visual neurons are activated by the stimulus which lies in a specific area in the receptive field of neuron.

Receptor potential: It is the change in the membrane of sensory receptor membrane potential which is graded potential.