Special Senses II
Dr Muhammad Ressam Nazir
August 31, 2012
REGIONS of the ear
Ear has three distinct regions
outer ear middle ear inner ear.
Outer Ear
The outer ear includes
the pinna (the visible ear, consisting mostly of skin and cartilage) the ear canal.
The latter is lined by keratinized stratified squamous epithelium. This lining differs from skin by the presence of specialized ceruminous (earwax) glands.
Middle Ear
The middle ear is basically a space, communicating via the eustacian tube with the oropharynx. It is lined by a very thin nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium. Spanning the space of the middle ear are the three middle ear bones,
malleus Incus stapes
Tympanic Membrane
Thin membrane separating the outer ear from the middle ear.
Keratinized stratified squamous epithelium facing the outer ear non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium facing the middle ear a very thin layer of connective tissue in between.
OVERVIEW of the inner ear
The inner ear contains sense organs serving both balance and hearing.
Head position (i.e., gravity; also linear acceleration) is sensed by the otolith organs of the saccule and utricle. Head rotation (i.e., angular acceleration) is sensed by the cristae ampularis of the semicircular canals. Hearing is sensed by the organ of Corti within the scala media of the cochlea.
Bony Labyrinth and Membranous Labyrinth
The inner ear resides within a space called the bony labyrinth. The oval window forms a potential opening from the middle ear into the bony labyrinth. The stapes of the middle ear plugs this opening; but . . .
is flexibly attached can vibrate to transmit pressure waves to the fluid that fills the bony labyrinth.
Suspended within the bony labyrinth, and approximating its shape, is an interconnected set of membrane-lined chambers and passageways called the membranous labyrinth.
The name labyrinth suggests the complex shape of these chambers and passageways. The vestibule of the bony labyrinth contains the saccule and utricle of the membranous labyrinth; Three semicircular canals comprise looping tubules which leave and return to the vestibule.
Within each semicircular canal of the bony labyrinth is a semicircular duct of the membranous labyrinth.
The cochlea is shaped like a snail-shell which spirals away from the vestibule.
A single coiled tunnel of the bony labyrinth is subdivided into three levels ("scalae") by membranes of the membranous labyrinth. The portion of the membranous labyrinth within the cochlea is called the scala media, also called the cochlear duct.
Inside the membranous labyrinth is a unique fluid called endolymph. Surrounding the membranous labyrinth (i.e., filling the remaining space of the bony labyrinth) is a fluid called perilymph.
HAIR CELLS
Hair cells, the specialized mechanoreceptor cells of the auditory and vestibular systems, are found in the membranous labyrinth. Hair cells are basically columnar epithelial cells. At the apical end of each hair cell is a set of "hairs" (cytoplasmic projections, kinocilium and stereocilia) embedded in a mass of extracellular jelly. At the basal end of each hair cell are synapses onto sensory axons. These axons project along the auditory and vestibular nerves, cranial nerve VIII.
A hair cell responds when movement of the extracellular jelly displaces its kinocilium and stereocilia. Displacement of the kinocilium and stereocilia alters conductance of ion channels, in turn affecting release of neurotransmitter onto the associated sensory axon. Hair cells function within a fluid environment, the endolymph, with a unique ionic composition. Locations of Hair cells
Semicircular canals Otolith organs Organ of Corti of the cochlea respond to angular acceleration (rotation) respond to linear acceleration. respond to sound.
Hair cells work similarly throughout the inner ear.
Otolith Organs (Saccule and Utricle) Linear Acceleration
The saccule and utricle contain patches of hair cells called maculae. A small mass of jelly rests on top of the hair cells of the macula. In this jelly are numerous tiny mineral concretions, called otoliths . Hair cells of the macula are deflected by the weight or inertia of the otoliths. Together the two pairs of otolith organs (one of each in each ear) can sense head orientation (gravity) or linear acceleration in any direction.
Semicircular Canals Angular Acceleration (Rotation)
Each semicircular canal of the bony labyrinth is a hollow passageway looping out from and back to the vestibule. Within each of these passageways is a semicircular ducts of the membranous labyrinth. At one end of each membranous semicircular duct is a small enlargement called the ampulla. Within each ampulla is a ridge called the crista ampullaris. The crista is covered with hair cells. A small mass of jelly, called the cupola rests on top of the hair cells of the crista.
There are three semicircular canals in each ear, oriented in three mutually-perpendicular planes. Rotation of the head in any direction will cause inertial fluid movement in one or more of the semicircular canals. Fluid motion in a semicircular canal pushes the the cupola like a swinging door. Movement of the cupola in turn deflects the projections of the hair cells.
COCHLEA
The spiraling tunnel that forms the cochlea of the bony labyrinth is divided into three distinct channels by portions of the membranous labyrinth attached to bony ridges. The scala vestibuli ascends from the vestibule to the tip of the cochlea.
The scala vestibuli contains perilymph.
The scala tympani descends from the tip of the cochlea to the round window.
The scala tympani, like the scala vestibuli, contains perilymph.
At the tip of the cochlea, the scala vestibula and the scala tympani are connected through the helicotrema.
The scala media, also called the cochlear duct, lies along the length of spiral cochlea, in a "medial" position between the scala vestibuli and scala tympani.
The organ of Corti lies within the scala media. The scala media is separated from the scala vestibuli by the very thin Reissner's membrane. The scala media and the scala tympani are separated by the basilar membrane.
Organ of Corti
The organ of Corti is contained within the scala media. The organ of Corti is a long strip of tissue that extends the length of the scala media, from the base of the cochlea to its apex. The fluid environment for the organ of Corti is endolymph, which fills the scala media. (Endolymph is secreted by cells of the stria vascularis.) Within the organ of Corti are specialized sensory hair cells. The entire complex (the whole organ of Corti) rests on the basilar membrane. This basilar membrane supports the basal ends of the hair cells in the organ of Corti.
The entire complex (the whole organ of Corti) rests on the basilar membrane. This basilar membrane supports the basal ends of the hair cells in the organ of Corti. The apical ends of hair cells touch the tectorial membrane, a "shelf" of jelly that is supported immovably on the spiral lamina. When the basilar membrane flexes in respond to sound waves (i.e., pressure waves delivered to inner-ear fluid by the middle-ear ossicles), the organ of Corti, including its hair cells, also moves.
Thus, when the basilar membrane is moved by pressure waves (i.e., sound), the hair cells move relative to the tectorial membrane, causing stimulatory deflection of the apical ends of the hair cells.
ENDOLYMPH
The membranous labyrinth is filled with endolymph and surrounded by perilymph. Endolymph is a unique fluid, with high K+ concentration and very low Na+ concentration.
provides the proper ionic environment for hair cell function.
PERILYMPH
Perilymph is similar to ordinary interstitial fluid. Perilymph fills the spaces of the bony labyrinth surrounding the membranous labyrinth. In the vestibular system (surrounding the saccule, utricle, and semicircular canals), perilymph simply provides a cushioning support for the membranous labyrinth. In the cochlea, perilymph of the ascending scala vestibuli and the descending scala tympani conveys pressure waves (sound) across the scala media. Pressure waves flex the basilar membrane and thereby stimulate hair cells of the organ of Corti.
Endolymph is secreted by cells of the stria vascularis, along the scala media of the cochlea. The stria vascularis resembles a stratified cuboidal epithelium, but unlike any proper epithelium this tissue contains capillaries among the cuboidal cells.
THANK YOU
