Question

What is the function of receptors in our body? Think of situations where receptors do not work properly. What problems are likely to arise?

Answer 1

Hint: Receptors are present everywhere in our body like skin, eyes, nose, etc. These receptors detect the signals that come to the body from outside, like heat and cold to the skin, so these signals are sent to the brain in the form of electric signals by the receptors, if these receptors do not work or damage, it may cause danger to the body.

Complete answer:
Based on the type of stimulus, receptors are classified into the following types. They are:
Chemoreceptor: The receptor which can detect the presence of the chemicals.
Thermoreceptors: These receptors generally detect the change in the temperature, like cold, got, etc.
Photoreceptors: These receptors detect the presence or absence of light.
Mechanoreceptors: Any mechanical changes that happen to the body are detected by these mechanoreceptors.
Apart from the above-discussed receptors, there are some specific receptors that are also present like baroreceptors, hygroreceptors, etc.
All the above receptors, detect the stimulus and provide a certain action.
Sometimes, there is a chance for the receptors to get damage, it may be accidental physical or some other damages, in this situation receptors do not pass the electric signals to the brain or it unable to do its function properly, this may keep the body in the dangerous situation because once the receptors are damaged, it never gets its function back.
Examples for this include, if the body is getting a touch to heat then the thermoreceptors on the skin detect and pass the electric signals to the brain and reflex occur to the certain part to take the body away from the heat, but it does not happen, It may burn the skin extremely, in this situation, the receptors are completely damaged never work back, this may keep the skin in danger for the future.
Another example, if a laser is a pass to the eyes, a small stimulus can be detected by the receptors, if the more time passes, it damages the retinal cells and it may cause blindness either temporarily or permanently.

Note:
Receptors present in the cytoplasm are the intracellular receptors, if they are present on the surface of the cell, they are cell surface receptors and they include, Ion channel, G proteins, and enzyme-linked protein receptors, these extracellular receptors transfers the signals to intracellular.