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Which type of receptor is specialized to respond to hot and cold stimuli?

Thermoreceptor
Chemoreceptor
Nociceptor
Photoreceptor
Mechanoreceptor

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

Thermoreceptors are specialized receptors that respond to hot and cold stimuli, while nociceptors detect potentially damaging stimuli and elicit pain sensations.

Therefore, the correct answer is: option Thermoreceptor".

Step-by-step explanation:

Thermoreceptors are specialized receptors that respond to hot and cold stimuli. Some thermoreceptors are sensitive to cold, while others are sensitive to heat.

Receptors are proteins, usually cell surface receptors, which bind to ligands and cause responses in the immune system, including cytokine receptors, growth factor receptors and Fc receptor.

These receptors are responsible for detecting temperature differences from the body's normal temperature. On the other hand, nociceptors are specialized receptors that detect potentially damaging stimuli and elicit pain sensations. They can be activated by mechanical, chemical, or thermal stimuli beyond a certain threshold.

For example, the sensation of heat associated with spicy foods involves nociceptors activated by capsaicin, the active molecule in hot peppers.

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