Question

Once receptor potentials arise in the outer segments of rods and cones, where do they spread?

A) To the digestive system
B) To the circulatory system
C) To the nervous system
D) To the respiratory system

Answer 1

Receptor potentials from the outer segments of rods and cones spread to the nervous system as part of the sensory transduction process. This converts light into electrical signals that are transmitted to the CNS.

Step-by-step explanation:

Once receptor potentials arise in the outer segments of rods and cones, they spread to the nervous system, specifically choice C) To the nervous system. This process is a crucial part of sensory transduction, where a stimulus (in this case, light) is converted into an electrical signal via the nervous system. Both rods and cones contain photopigments, with rhodopsin being a significant component involved in this transduction of light to a neural signal. The process begins when light hits a photoreceptor and a molecule named retinal undergoes a shape change, kick-starting a series of events that ultimately result in the generation of an electrical signal. This electrical signal is then sent through the retinal ganglion cells and through the optic nerve, reaching the central nervous system (CNS).