A chemoreceptor, also known as chemosensor, is a specialized sensory receptor which transduces a chemical substance (endogenous or induced) to generate a biological signal.
[4] In physiology, a chemoreceptor detects changes in the normal environment, such as an increase in blood levels of carbon dioxide (hypercapnia) or a decrease in blood levels of oxygen (hypoxia), and transmits that information to the central nervous system which engages body responses to restore homeostasis.
There are 5 major categories of hormones that are unique to plants which once bound to the receptor, will trigger a response in target cells.
As all life processes are ultimately based on chemistry it is natural that detection and passing on of the external input will involve chemical events.
[citation needed] Chemoreception is important for the detection of food, habitat, conspecifics including mates, and predators.
Cells in the head, usually the air passages or mouth, have chemical receptors on their surface that change when in contact with the emissions.
The resulting output from the CNS (central nervous system) makes body actions that will engage the food and enhance survival.
[20] These factors include activation of stretch receptors due to increased ventilation and the release of circulating catecholamines.