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organ of Corti; spiral organ
Function:
- the sensory organ of hearing
- it is the site of transduction of mechanical energy into neural signaling [2]
Structure:
- a prominent ridge of highly specialized epithelium in the floor of the cochlear duct overlying the basilar membrane of the cochlea
- it extends spirally from the basal convolution to the cupula or apex of the cochlea.
It contains:
1) hair cells (post mitotic)
a) 1 layer of inner hair cells
b) 3 layers of outer hair cells
2) supporting columnar cells
a) pillars of Corti
b) phalangeal cells of Deiter
b) cells of Henson
c) cells of Claudius
3) Reissner's membrane
4) tectorial membrane
5) stria vascularis
Pathology:
- age-related degeneration of the Organ of Corti gives rise to age-related hearing impairment
- loss of hair cells is greatest in persons > 70 years of age.
- outer hair cells are more vulnerable than inner hair cells
- loss of hair cells occurs preferentially in the basal region of the cochlea & accounts for the loss of pure-tone hearing.
General
ear structure
References
- Stedman's Medical Dictionary 27th ed, Williams &
Wilkins, Baltimore, 1999
- Geriatrics Review Syllabus, American Geriatrics Society,
5th edition, 2002-2004
Component-of
cochlea
Components
cell of Henson
phalangeal cell of Deiter
Images
images related to organ of Corti