receptor articles
What are the three primary anatomical components that constitute a synapse?
What electrical event triggers the sequence leading to chemical neurotransmitter release?
Which ion influx is the non-negotiable prerequisite for causing neurotransmitter vesicles to release their contents?
Where is the concentration of calcium ions ($ ext{Ca}^{2+}$) significantly higher than inside the presynaptic neuron?
What is the name of the process where the vesicle membrane fuses with the presynaptic membrane, dumping neurotransmitters into the cleft?
By what physical principle do neurotransmitters move across the synaptic cleft after release?
What is the approximate maximum width of the synaptic cleft?
Binding of a neurotransmitter to a receptor can cause which two fundamental electrical changes in the receiving neuron?
Which mechanism of signal termination involves specialized transporter proteins pumping neurotransmitters back into the releasing neuron?
What specific enzyme is cited as breaking down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine?
What analogy is used to describe the function of calcium ions in the process of neurotransmitter release?
What process describes the decrease in a sensory receptor's responsiveness when exposed to a constant, unchanging stimulus over time?
What is the primary biological purpose of sensory adaptation?
What term describes the conversion of external energy, such as light or pressure, into an electrical signal (action potential) that the nervous system can interpret?
Which receptors are specialized to detect the onset and offset of a stimulus and exhibit a rapid decline in firing rate, making them detectors of movement?
Which examples of skin receptors are characterized as tonic receptors, crucial for providing ongoing information about sustained pressure?
How is the intensity of a stimulus generally encoded by the afferent neuron?
What phenomenon occurs in olfaction where the perceived intensity of a strong scent vanishes after initial exposure?
What neural mechanism, involving inhibitory interneurons activated by constant strong input, actively suppresses a primary afferent fiber's signal and contributes to adaptation?
What specialized structure in receptors like the Pacinian corpuscle acts as a mechanical filter to ensure they primarily respond to rapid pressure changes?