![]() ![]() The tallest stereocilium (singular of stereocilia) is called the kinocilium. ‘Otolith organ hair cells’ by Valerie Hedges is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. The hair cells of the otolith organs send their signals to Scarpa’s ganglion axons that transmit vestibular information into the central nervous system. When the head is tilted, the movement of the otoconia mechanically bends to stereocilia. Over the gelatinous cap are otoconia (calcium carbonate crystals). Within the otolith organs (the saccule and the utricle) there are hair cells that have stereocilia that extend into a gelatinous cap. Tilting the head causes the otoconia to move (due to gravity), which will push the hair cell stereocilia and cause them to bend. The otolith organs are important in sensing gravity. These hair cells have stereocilia that extend into a gelatinous cap that contains otoconia, which are small crystals of calcium carbonate. The hair cells located within the otolith organs are biologically similar to the hair cells in the cochlea. Similar to the other inner ear structure, the cochlea, the structures of the vestibular labyrinth also contain hair cells. The cochlea is also located within the inner ear and has auditory system function. The semicircular canals and otolith organs (utricle and saccule) are part of the vestibular labyrinth that functions in balance. The utricle is more responsive to horizontal movements, such as when driving. The saccule is more sensitive to vertical movements, like when you are standing in a moving elevator. These structures are centrally located within the vestibular labyrinth.ĭue to their differences in structure, the two otolith organs have slightly different functions. ![]() Collectively, these structures are called the otolith organs and are responsible for determining gravity through the tilt of the head and linear acceleration. Next to the cochlea and within the vestibular labyrinth are two membranous sacs, the saccule and the utricle. The vestibular system is made up of two structures that are intimately tied in with the anatomical features of the inner ear.Īdjacent to the cochlea within the inner ear is a structure called the vestibular labyrinth made up of the otolith organs ( saccule and utricle) and the semicircular canals. The vestibular system is a sort of three-dimensional compass that can detect head movement, and that information helps us figure out how our head is oriented and how to balance ourselves in changing conditions. When we tilt our head to the side, or look up and down, that movement information is conveyed to our brain using the vestibular system. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |