Morphological and Physiological Correlates in Cochlear and Vestibular Sensory Epithelia.

摘要

Sensory organs of the inner ear of laboratory animals have been examined using scanning electron microscopy. Cochlea sensory cells possess sensory cilia (stereocilia), and bending of the cilia towards Hensen's cell causes excitation of the cell. The tall sensory cilia of the outer hair cells are, without exception, firmly attached to the overlying tectorial membrane, whereas the cilia of the inner hair cells are freestanding only in adult animals. It is proposed that the outer hair cells are displacement detectors and the inner hair cells are velocity detectors.