Ear page 6

Contents

Yves Clermont, Michael Lalli, Zsuzsanna Bencsath-Makkai
LIGHT-MICROSCOPIC HISTOLOGY ATLAS

17. Ear

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17.6 Organ of Corti of a guinea pig

Version française

This figure shows the extremity of the osseous spiral lamina (SL) with a bundle of myelinated nerve fibres (N) in its core. On top of this bony lamina, the spiral limbus (Lim) is lined with a columnar epithelium (E) continuous with the tectorial membrane (TM). The latter, composed of a fibro-gelatinous substance overlies the epithelial cells of the organ of Corti.

The organ of Corti is composed of supporting cells (S) and sensory hair cells (Se). The triangular space in this organ, called the tunnel of Corti (TC), is delimited by pillar cells (arrows). Underlying this sensory epithelium, the thin basilar membrane (BM) is lined with a thin epithelium (arrowhead) facing the scala tympani.

The vibrations of the basilar membrane, originating from the middle ear, are transmitted to the hair cells whose apical microvilli are in contact with the tectorial membrane.

Stain: H–E
Magnification: ×350

The text and images of this Histology Atlas, by Yves Clermont, Michael Lalli & Zsuzsanna Bencsath-Makkai, are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada Licence and cannot be modified without the written permission of the authors. Use of any text or images must carry an acknowledgement which includes a link to the original work.