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Related Concept Videos

Sensory Functions of the Skin01:16

Sensory Functions of the Skin

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The skin is the largest organ of the human body and plays a crucial role in our sensory perception. It contains a vast network of sensory receptors that contribute to the skin's protective function by perceiving physical, biological, and environmental cues and generating relevant responses.
There are two main categories of receptors on the skin: capsulated and non-capsulated. The non-capsulated ones are mainly the pain receptors. The capsulated ones can be further categorized based on the...
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Somatosensation01:33

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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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Taste Buds and Receptors01:20

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Gustation, or the sense of taste, is intrinsically linked to the anatomical structures located on the tongue. This organ's surface, along with the entirety of the oral cavity, is adorned with stratified squamous epithelium. Evident on the tongue are elevated structures known as papillae (singular = papilla), which house the mechanisms for the transduction of gustatory stimuli. Four distinct types of papillae exist, each identified by their unique morphological attributes: the circumvallate,...
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Hair and hair follicles are integral components of the integumentary system. Hair is a filamentous structure composed mainly of a protein called keratin. It is found on the surface of the skin throughout the body, except for areas such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
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Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

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Tactile senses encompass touch, temperature, and pain, each mediated by specific receptors. Touch receptors detect mechanical energy or pressure against the skin. Sensory fibers from these receptors enter the spinal cord and relay information to the brain stem. Here, most fibers cross over to the opposite side of the brain. The touch information then moves to the thalamus, which projects a map of the body's surface onto the somatosensory areas of the parietal lobes in the cerebral cortex.
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Introduction to Special Senses01:26

Introduction to Special Senses

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Sensory receptors play an integral part in comprehending our external and internal environments. They receive diverse stimuli, converting them into the nervous system's electrochemical signals. This conversion occurs as the stimulus alters the sensory neuron's cell membrane potential, instigating the generation of an action potential. This action potential is subsequently transmitted to the central nervous system (CNS), which integrates with other sensory data or higher cognitive...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 13, 2026

Single Sensillum Recordings for Locust Palp Sensilla Basiconica
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Single Sensillum Recordings for Locust Palp Sensilla Basiconica

Published on: June 23, 2018

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Insect sensilla.

Wendy A Valencia-Montoya1

  • 1Harvard Society of Fellows, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

Current Biology : CB
|January 6, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Insects use sensilla, specialized sensory organs, to perceive their environment through their tough exoskeletons. This research details how these structures facilitate external world sensing in insects.

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Single Sensillum Recordings in the Insects Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae
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Single Sensillum Recordings in the Insects Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae
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Area of Science:

  • Entomology
  • Sensory Biology
  • Biomechanics

Background:

  • Insects possess a rigid exoskeleton that presents a barrier to direct environmental interaction.
  • Sensory perception is crucial for insect survival, influencing behaviors like foraging, mating, and predator avoidance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanisms by which insect sensilla facilitate sensory input despite the exoskeleton.
  • To provide a comprehensive overview of sensilla function in insect sensory perception.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on insect sensory organs.
  • Analysis of structural and functional adaptations of sensilla.
  • Integration of biomechanical principles related to cuticle interaction.

Main Results:

  • Sensilla are complex cuticular structures housing sensory neurons.
  • They are strategically positioned and shaped to interact with environmental stimuli.
  • Specialized pores and channels within the sensilla allow stimulus penetration.

Conclusions:

  • Sensilla are essential adaptations enabling insects to bridge the gap between their protective exoskeleton and the external world.
  • Understanding sensilla function is key to comprehending insect-environment interactions.