Sensory Receptor Classification by Location - Online Tutor, Practice Problems & Exam Prep

Sensory receptors are classified into three types based on stimulus location: exteroceptors, interoceptors, and proprioceptors. Exteroceptors detect external stimuli like pressure and sound, while interoceptors monitor internal conditions such as organ stretch and chemical composition, crucial for homeostasis. Proprioceptors, found in muscles and joints, provide information about body position and movement. Understanding these receptors is essential for grasping how the body interacts with its environment and maintains balance, contributing to overall physiological function.

Sensory Receptor Classification by Location

Hey everyone. So in this video, we're going to be talking about how we can classify sensory receptors based on the location of the stimulus that they detect. We're going to start with exteroceptors. Now, exteroceptors detect stimuli originating outside of the body. These can include things like the receptors on your skin that could be picking up pressure, vibration, temperature, pain, and the like. This also includes our special senses such as hearing, vision, or smell because all of those involve external stimuli. Right? Light has to enter your eyeballs, sound waves come into your ear, and there are chemicals in the air that you can smell, etc. So those are our exteroceptors.

Next, we have interoceptors, and these will detect stimuli originating from inside the body. 'Intero' inside, right? These are sometimes also called visceroceptors because they often deal with the viscera or the internal organs. They also deal with things like blood vessels. These receptors detect a variety of stimuli. They can detect pain all throughout your body, the chemical composition of our internal fluids, visceral stretch, so the stretch of your organs, which makes them very important for things like digestion. They give you feelings of fullness, they're important for bladder control, telling you if your bladder is empty or full, and they also monitor your internal temperature. So, these are very important for maintaining homeostasis. They really give you that whole body sense of "Is everything okay?" which is what they are responsible for.

And then finally, we have proprioceptors. Now, proprioceptors also monitor information from inside the body, so they are similar to interoceptors in that way, but proprioceptors are a distinct type of receptor. These specifically monitor body position and stretch and are located in the musculoskeletal system. Proprioceptors are found in your muscles, tendons, joints, and the connective tissue around your bones. The scope of the information that they give you is much more limited than that of exteroceptors and interoceptors. These are specifically going to be giving you information about body position and stretch, and things like that. And these, of course, will give you your sense of proprioception, which is where your body is in space and how your body is moving through space.

If we look at our figure here, we will examine these individuals. We'll look at their receptors and what they're doing, and we'll give each a label. Observing this first girl here, we can see that she is hearing something. She has some sound waves entering her ear and she is smelling a delicious-looking cup of coffee, which means she must be using her exteroceptors. All of those stimuli are outside of her body. Then here, this girl in the middle, she has a nice full stomach. She's got pizza, cookies, all kinds of good things in there, but detecting that fullness is a sensation from that visceral stretch. So that is coming from her interoceptors. And then this last guy over here, we can see he is pumping iron. You can probably tell that I don't do it often unlike him with his big old bicep, right? But he's getting information coming from that muscle, that tension, the stretch, whatever it is he's feeling, and that must be his proprioceptors. So there you have it. That is how we classify sensory receptors based on the location of the stimulus that they detect, and I'll see you guys in our next video. Bye bye.

Sensory Receptor Classification by Location Example 1

Okay. So this example asks us to read through this story and then we're going to be filling in these blanks with some type of sensory receptor. So let's dive right in. Alright. So Sabina decides to go for a swim in the lake. When she first dips her toe in the water, her exteroceptors detect the cold temperature, and she quickly retracts her toe. Eventually, she builds up the courage to get in, and once in the water her proprioceptors allow her to monitor the position of her body and the stretch of her muscles as she's swimming. After a while, she feels a painful cramp in her hamstring detected by her nociceptors. So let's just go through and look for some keywords that are gonna help us here. So when she first dips her toe in the water, something detects that cold temperature. So that's gonna be something on the surface of her skin detecting a stimulus that is outside of her body. Right? So I'm thinking probably an exteroceptor. And then eventually she builds the courage to get in, and she's monitoring the position of her body and the stretch of her muscles. Sounds like a proprioceptor. So let's put a p there. And then she eventually feels this painful cramp in her thigh. So I'm thinking nociceptor. Right? And so let's if we look at our answer choices here, answer d has exteroceptors for the first blank, proprioceptors for the second, and nociceptors for the third. So that is our answer, and I will see you guys in our next one. Bye-bye.

We can touch our finger to our nose while our eyes are closed, as we can sense the movement and position of our joints and body parts without seeing them. Which type of receptor allows us to do this?

• A. Proprioceptors.
• B. Mechanoreceptors.
• C. Interoceptors.
• D. Photoreceptors.

One day, Kaya feels a sharp pain in her stomach area. How would you classify the sensory receptor that is responsible for detecting the issue and causing Kaya to feel this pain?

• A. Exteroceptor & nociceptor.
• B. Exteroceptor and chemoreceptor.
• C. Interoceptor and nociceptor.
• D. Interoceptor and chemoreceptor.

Here’s what students ask on this topic:

What are exteroceptors and what stimuli do they detect?

Exteroceptors are sensory receptors that detect stimuli originating from outside the body. These receptors are primarily located on the skin and are responsible for sensing external environmental changes. They can detect various types of stimuli, including pressure, vibration, temperature, and pain. Additionally, exteroceptors are involved in the special senses such as vision, hearing, and smell. For example, light entering the eyes, sound waves entering the ears, and chemicals in the air that are detected by the nose are all processed by exteroceptors. Understanding exteroceptors is crucial for comprehending how the body interacts with its external environment.

What role do interoceptors play in the body?

Interoceptors, also known as visceroceptors, are sensory receptors that detect stimuli originating from within the body. They are crucial for monitoring internal conditions and maintaining homeostasis. Interoceptors are found in internal organs and blood vessels, where they detect a variety of stimuli such as pain, chemical composition of internal fluids, visceral stretch, and internal temperature. These receptors provide essential information for processes like digestion, bladder control, and overall internal balance. For instance, they help you feel sensations of fullness after eating and monitor the stretch of your bladder, indicating when it is full or empty.

How do proprioceptors contribute to body movement and position?

Proprioceptors are specialized sensory receptors located in the musculoskeletal system, including muscles, tendons, joints, and connective tissues around bones. They provide critical information about body position, movement, and stretch. Proprioceptors help the brain understand where different parts of the body are in space and how they are moving, which is essential for coordinated movement and balance. For example, when lifting weights, proprioceptors in the muscles and tendons detect the tension and stretch, allowing the brain to adjust muscle contractions accordingly. This sense of proprioception is vital for activities that require precise body control and spatial awareness.

What is the difference between exteroceptors and interoceptors?

Exteroceptors and interoceptors are both types of sensory receptors, but they differ in the location of the stimuli they detect. Exteroceptors are responsible for sensing external stimuli, such as pressure, vibration, temperature, and pain, as well as special senses like vision, hearing, and smell. These receptors are primarily located on the skin and other external sensory organs. In contrast, interoceptors detect internal stimuli originating from within the body. They are found in internal organs and blood vessels and monitor conditions such as pain, chemical composition of internal fluids, visceral stretch, and internal temperature. Interoceptors play a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis and internal balance.

Where are proprioceptors located and what information do they provide?

Proprioceptors are located in the musculoskeletal system, specifically in muscles, tendons, joints, and the connective tissues around bones. These specialized sensory receptors provide information about body position, movement, and stretch. Proprioceptors help the brain understand where different parts of the body are in space and how they are moving, which is essential for coordinated movement and balance. For example, when performing activities like walking, running, or lifting objects, proprioceptors detect changes in muscle tension and joint position, allowing the brain to make necessary adjustments for smooth and precise movements.