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Free Nerve Endings in the Skin Detect Noxious Stimuli and Signal Pain
- Free nerve endings in the skin, also called nociceptors, are sensory neurons that detect harmful stimuli.
- They generate nerve impulses that travel to the central nervous system, where the brain perceives pain.
Free Nerve Endings Are Bare Sensory Endings
- Free nerve endings are bare, unmyelinated endings of sensory neurons in the skin and other tissues.
- Unlike encapsulated receptors, which have specialized surrounding structures, they are called "free" because they lack such structures and respond to a wide range of noxious stimuli.
- Their membranes carry ion channels that open in response to specific noxious triggers.
- Excessive heat.
- Acidic conditions from damaged tissue.
