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Receptor

Term (receptor) for a specialised nerve cell that receives certain external and internal chemical (taste, smell) or physical (touch) stimuli and converts them into a form that the nervous system can understand. The receptor is the first link of the senses and serves as a biological sensor. Each receptor is designed exclusively for a very specific stimulus and, when stimulated, transmits electrical signals to the central nervous system. There they are interpreted (translated, so to speak) according to the brain region in which they arrive. A distinction is made between primary and secondary receptors. The primary ones convey heat stimuli, strong mechanical stimuli such as stretching, pressure or "sharpness". These include the haptic (active) or tactile (passive) touch receptors of the skin, which relate to the sense of touch (trigeminal), and the olfactory cells in the olfactory mucosa (about 2 x 5 cm²) in the uppermost part of the nasal cavity, which relate to the sense of smell(olfactory). The secondary ones include the sensory receptors on the tongue and palate concerning the sense of taste(gustatory).

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