receptor

/riˈsɛptər/

/rəˈsɛptə/

Other forms: receptors

A receptor is a protein in a cell that binds to a substance and causes a specific effect on the cell. It's also the name of a cell that senses stimuli like pain, heat, or light.

Receptor shares a Latin root with receive that means "take in or admit." Both kinds of biological receptors work by receiving something and responding to it. In the case of sensory receptors, these tiny cells take in stimuli and send information through your nervous system so your body can respond — by closing your eyes against a bright light or dropping a hot pan, for example.

Definitions of receptor

1. noun

   any of the protein molecules in the surface of a cell or organelle that connect with the molecules of specific hormones, neurotransmitters, antigens, or antibodies to produce a physiological response
   types:

   alpha receptor, alpha-adrenergic receptor, alpha-adrenoceptor

   receptors postulated to exist on nerve cell membranes of the sympathetic nervous system in order to explain the specificity of certain agents that affect only some sympathetic activities (such as vasoconstriction and relaxation of intestinal muscles and contraction of smooth muscles)

   beta receptor, beta-adrenergic receptor, beta-adrenoceptor

   receptors postulated to exist on nerve cell membranes of the sympathetic nervous system in order to explain the specificity of certain agents that affect only some sympathetic activities (such as vasodilation and increased heart beat)

   type of:

   anatomical structure, bodily structure, body structure, complex body part, structure

   a particular complex anatomical part of a living thing
2. noun

   an organ having nerve endings (in the skin or eye or ear or nose or mouth) that respond to stimulation
   synonyms: sense organ, sensory receptor

   antonyms:

   effector

   an organ (a gland or muscle) that becomes active in response to nerve impulses

   types:

   lateral line, lateral line organ

   sense organs of fish and amphibians; believed to detect pressure changes in the water

   enteroceptor, interoceptor

   any receptor that responds to stimuli inside the body

   exteroceptor

   any receptor that responds to stimuli outside the body

   pineal eye, third eye

   a sensory structure capable of light reception located on the dorsal side of the diencephalon in various reptiles

   baroreceptor

   a sensory receptor that responds to pressure

   chemoreceptor

   a sensory receptor that responds to chemical stimuli

   thermoreceptor

   a sensory receptor that responds to heat and cold

   eye, oculus, optic

   the organ of sight

   ear

   the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

   organ of hearing

   the part of the ear that is responsible for sensations of sound

   inner ear, internal ear, labyrinth

   a complex system of interconnecting cavities; concerned with hearing and equilibrium

   semicircular canal

   one of three tube loops filled with fluid and in planes nearly at right angles with one another; concerned with equilibrium

   stretch receptor

   a receptor in a muscle that responds to stretching of the muscle tissue

   gustatory organ, taste bud, tastebud

   an oval sensory end organ on the surface of the tongue

   naked eye

   the eye unaided by any optical instrument that alters the power of vision or alters the apparent size or distance of objects

   peeper

   an informal term referring to the eye

   OD, oculus dexter

   the right eye

   OS, oculus sinister

   the left eye

   ocellus, simple eye, stemma

   an eye having a single lens

   compound eye

   in insects and some crustaceans: composed of many light-sensitive elements each forming a portion of an image

   organ of Corti

   the hearing organ of the inner ear; contains receptors that respond to sound waves

   carotid body

   a chemoreceptor located near the bifurcations of the carotid arteries; monitors oxygen content of the blood and helps control respiration

   nose, olfactory organ

   the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals

   type of:

   organ

   a fully differentiated structural and functional unit in an animal that is specialized for some particular function