Final answer:
Types of channel gating triggered by physical stimuli include voltage-gated channels, which respond to changes in electrical potential, and mechanosensitive channels, which open due to physical distortion such as pressure. The correct answer to the question is (D) Both A and C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question refers to channel gating, specifically the types that are triggered by physical stimuli. There are different forms of channel gating in cellular membranes that allow ions to pass in response to various stimuli. Two primary examples of such gating in response to physical stimuli are voltage-gated channels and mechanosensitive channels.
Voltage-gated channels are sensitive to changes in the electric potential across the cell membrane. When the voltage changes, these channels open or close, allowing ions to pass through in a way that is critical to the function of nerve and muscle cells.
Mechanosensitive channels, also known as mechanically gated channels, open due to physical distortion of the cell membrane. This can occur through pressure or touch, as well as temperature changes that physically affect the structure of channel proteins. An example is sensory receptors in the skin, which respond to pressure by opening such channels, as well as the stereocilia in the ear that are part of the mechanosensitive ion channels responding to sound.
Given the options provided in the question, the types of channel gating triggered by physical stimuli are (D) Both A and C, as both voltage-gated and mechanosensitive channels are responsive to physical changes such as pressure and electrical potential.