Inner Ear

" The inner ear is situated in the osseous labyrinth of the auditory periotic in the tympanic part of the temporal bone, lying below the squama and in front of the mastoid process. A series of interconnected membranous pouches, ducts and canals are contained within the osseous labyrinth which consists of three main parts; the vestibule, the semicircular canals and cochlea. The cochlea is divided into three longitudinal compartments; the scala tympani, scala media (containing the organ of Corti) and scala vestibuli, coiled around the modiolus (a hollow bone pillar containing the cochlea nerve). In general, the hair cells along the organ of Corti are divided into a single row of Inner Hair Cells (IHCs) and three rows of Outer Hair Cells (OHCs). The position of the cells is specified during early development and possibly follows the layout of the supporting pillar cells. The structure of the pillar cells is formed from actin and myosin filaments, which are especially present in the apical region forming part of the cuticular plate that increase in number with location around the basilar membrane and reticular lamina. In addition, supporting cells have bundled microtubules containing tubulin that provides structural support to the organ of Corti.( JM Lovell, M Brosch, E Budinger, J Goldschmidt, H Scheich, S Tschorn, U Wendt and W Zuschratter- Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscope Examination of Cochlea Hair and Pillar Cells from the Ear of the Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus)."

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Last date updated on September, 2024