A sense organ is any collection of cells which serve to receive sensory information from the environment either external or internal to a particular organism. That sensory information is then sent to the organism's brain, where it is processed. Some types of sensory information is consciously perceived by the organism; other types of sensory information may help the organism regulate various bodily functions, but may not actually be consciously perceived.

Sense organs require some type of receptor. The receptor is a collection of nerve cells which receive the information. Other neurons carry that information to the appropriate location for processing. Although we usually think of humans as enjoying five basic senses (hearing, vision, smelling, tasting, and touch), in fact more specific categories of receptors exist.

Mechanoreceptors are those receptors which gather information about touch, pressure, gravity, stretch, or motion. These receptors help the body maintain its...