Noun
nociceptor (plural nociceptors)
(anatomy) A sensory receptor that sends signals that cause the perception of pain in response to a potentially damaging stimulus.
Synonym: nocisensor
Antonym: beneceptor
At the peripheral end of the nociceptor, noxious stimuli generate currents that, above a given threshold, send signals along the nerve fiber to the spinal cord. Source: Internet
The somatosensory cortex decodes nociceptor info to determine the exact location of pain and is where proprioception is brought into consciousness; inferior cerebellar peduncle is all unconscious proprioception. Source: Internet
Dozens of different types of nociceptor ion channels have so far been identified, and their exact functions are still being determined. citation The pain signal travels from the periphery to the spinal cord along an A-delta or fiber. Source: Internet
The "specificity" (whether it responds to thermal, chemical or mechanical features of its environment) of a nociceptor is determined by which ion channels it expresses at its peripheral end. Source: Internet