Definition
noun, plural: sense organs
An organ or structure that has nerve endings capable of detecting and reacting to a stimulus
Supplement
Sense organs pertain to the various organs or structures that consist of specialized nerve endings. These nerve endings in the sense organs are capable of detecting and reacting to a stimulus. In humans, there are fundamentally five senses: sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. The eye is the visual or light-detecting organ of many animals. The eye is the organ for sight. The retina, which is a membrane at the back wall of the eyeball, is covered with light-sensitive cells referred to as rods and cones. The cones are sensitive to color whereas the rods are more sensitive to light. The eye connects to the brain via the optic nerve. The nose is the organ for sensing smell. The mucous membranes lining the cavity of the nose have receptors connected to the olfactory nerve. The ear is the organ for hearing. It has a cochlea, which is a chamber lined by nerve fibers. They detect vibrations and transmit impulses to the brain through the auditory nerve. The organ for taste is the tongue. It has taste receptors called taste buds and at the base of the taste bud is a nerve that transmits impulses to the brain. As for the sense of touch, the nerve endings in the skin detect sensations and send the impulses to the brain for integration.
Synonym(s):
- sensor
See also:
