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What is a Sensory System?

What is a Sensory System?

Sensory systems detect stimuli—such as light and sound waves—and transduce them into neural signals that can be interpreted by the nervous system. In addition to external stimuli detected by the senses, some sensory systems detect internal stimuli—such as the proprioceptors in muscles and tendons that send feedback about limb position.

Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System

Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System

The somatosensory system is the central and peripheral nervous system component that senses and processes touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and body position or proprioception. The process of sensation takes place at three levels:
The receptor level:
The receptor level is the first stage of sensation. It involves the detection of a stimulus by specialized sensory receptors. The stimulus must arrive within the receptor's receptive field. Next, the receptor converts the energy of the stimulus...

Somatosensation

Somatosensation

The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Physiological Experimentation with the Crayfish Hindgut: A Student Laboratory Exercise

Physiological Experimentation with the Crayfish Hindgut: A Student Laboratory Exercise

Published on: January 18, 2011

Laboratory experience for teaching sensory physiology.

Ana L Albarracín¹, Fernando D Farfán, Carmelo J Felice

¹Cátedra de Neurociencia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Argentina. ana@fm.unt.edu.ar

Advances in Physiology Education

|June 11, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This experiential physiology lab connects abstract concepts to practical skills. Students gained hands-on experience in sensorial physiology and electrophysiological research using accessible equipment.

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Last Updated: Jun 22, 2026

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Area of Science:

Bioengineering
Physiology
Neuroscience

Background:

Laboratory teaching often struggles to bridge abstract physiological concepts with practical application.
Students typically lack opportunities for realistic research experiences within laboratory settings.

Purpose of the Study:

To implement an experiential laboratory physiology course for graduate students.
To enhance understanding of sensorial physiology and develop practical laboratory skills.

Main Methods:

Students engaged in hands-on analysis of mechanoreceptor activation and multifiber afferent discharges.
Utilized accessible instrumentation for physiological measurements.

Main Results:

Students successfully analyzed and quantified the effects of mechanoreceptor activation.
The laboratory facilitated the connection between theoretical physiological concepts and practical research.

Conclusions:

The experiential laboratory effectively integrates theoretical knowledge with practical electrophysiological research skills.
This approach enhances student learning in physiology and bioengineering.