Last edited: 9/3/2021

9. COCHLEA: SPIRAL ORGAN OF CORTI

Cochlea: Spiral Organ of Corti Medical Editor: Dr. Sofia Suhada M. Uzir

OUTLINE (B) CROSS SECTION OF COCHLEA

I) SHORT ANATOMY OF INNER EAR

II) COCHLEA
III) THE HAIR CELLS
IV) SOUND FREQUENCY
V) SOUND AMPLITUDE
VI) REVIEW QUESTIONS
VII) REFERENCES
I) SHORT ANATOMY OF INNER EAR
The inner ear consists of (Figure 1)
o Cochlea
 Associated with sound waves
o Vestibule Figure 3. Cross section of cochlea [Radiopaedia]
o Semicircular canals
Pathways
o Vestibular and auditory pathways going to the central
nervous system

Figure 4. Cross section of cochlea [ResearchGate]

(1) Modulus (Figure 2)
Figure 1. Inner Ear [ResearchGate]
Conical bone structure in the middle with cochlea
II) COCHLEA spinning around it, making about 2 and a half turns
Contains 2 windows
It looks like a snail shell
o Oval window (at the top)
o Round window (at the bottom)
(2) Spiral limbus
Like a bony projection from the modulus
Contains membranes radiating out from the modulus
which separate the cochlea into 3 chambers
o Vestibular membrane/ Reissner's membrane
(Figure 3)
Figure 2. Parts of cochlea [Victoria Evans]  Separates scala vestibuli (at the top) from scala
Parts of the cochlea: media
o Basilar membrane
(i) The outer bony part  Separates scala media from the scala tympani
The outer bony part consists of
o Scala vestibuli (the top part) (C) BASILAR MEMBRANE
o Scala tympani (bottom part) As the fluid vibrations are moving from the oval window, it
o Scala media may stimulate the basilar membrane
Contains perilymph which is high in sodium and low in The basilar membrane is made out of a lot of stiff elastic
potassium fibers
Perilymph is a harder substance which is very similar to o The fibers are shorter and stiffer towards the base
the consistency of cerebrospinal fluid and longer and floppier towards the apex (elasticity
o The site where perilymph mixes together between starts decreasing)
scala vestibuli and scala tympani is called Structures at the basilar membrane include (Figure 5)
helicotrema
(i) The supporting cells
(ii) The cochlear duct
which give support to the inner and outer hair cells
Known as the scala media o They do not play a role in stimulating action potentials
Contains endolymph which is high in potassium and low o The supporting cells include:
in sodium  Phalangeal/ Dieter’s cell
o Stria vascularis help in maintaining the potassium  Hensen’s cell
levels

COCHLEA: SPIRAL ORGAN OF CORTI SPECIAL SENSES: Note #9. 1 of 4

 (ii) The reticular lamina protein III) THE HAIR CELLS
(iii) Basement basilar membrane with basal lamina
(A) TYPES
Connects to the reticular lamina through rods/pillar of corti
The rods of corti contains the tunnel of corti The inner hair cells
The outer hair cells
(iv) Hair cells
(B) STRUCTURE OF HAIR CELLS
which cover the whole length of basilar membrane
Hair cells consist of
throughout the cochlear duct
o Stereocilia
o Inner hair cells
o Kinocilium
 Approximately around 3000-4000 hair cells
 The longest stereocilia
 There’s only one row of them
o Channels
 Primarily responds to sound waves
 On the stereocilia membrane
 95% afferent nerve terminals of the peripheral
o Cadherin 23 and protocadherin 15 protein
processes of spiral ganglion go to the inner hair
 Also known as tip links
cells
 Connect the channels from different stereocilia
o Outer hair cells
together
 Approximately around 12,000 hair cells
 There are three rows of them
 Helps in modification of sound
 Only about 5-10% peripheral processes of spiral
ganglion go to the outer hair cells

(v) Tectorial membrane

Mucopolysaccharide like protein

Note:
Spiral ganglion has central processes which goes to central
nervous system and peripheral processes which goes to the
to the hair cells

Figure 6. Structures of hair cells [ResearchGate]

(C) STIMULATION OF THE INNER HAIR CELLS

Figure 5. Structures at the basilar membrane [ResearchGate]
(D) MECHANISM OF ACTION OF COCHLEA
Cochlea is associated with sound waves
It turns sounds waves → mechanical vibrations →
fluids vibrations
o Sound waves move → funneled into the ear canal
through the ear pinna → move down to the ear canal
→ push on the tympanic membrane by compression
and decompression, causing it to move
→ compression moves the ossicles (little bones in
the ear)
 Moves the malleus → incus → stapes
The foot plate of stapes is connected to the oval
window by the annular ligaments
Stapes keeps on tapping on the oval window → turns
mechanical stimuli (vibrations from the ossicular chain)
to fluid vibrations in the scala vestibuli
If it moves through the scala media with appropriate
frequency and amplitude → causes basilar membrane
to vibrates
The endolymph rushes through the area between the
tectorial membrane and hair cell → causes hair cells to
sheer against tectorial membrane → this moves the
stereo cilia and kinocilium on the hair cells → causes
stimulation of the hair cells
Inner hair cells plays an important role in detecting
sound waves
When the vestibular membrane vibrates → it goes up →
reticular lamina will move and helps to pull the hair cells
inwards → the endolymph which is rich in potassium,
pushes on the stereocilia
→ the stereocilia will beat towards certain direction
(1) If it beats towards the kinocilium
Stretches the tip links → open the channels
→potassium and calcium enter the cell
o The cell that was originally at resting membrane
potential → increase in the amount of calcium and
potassium → depolarize the cell
o Calcium stimulates the fusion of the vesicle with the
basolateral cell membrane → fusion causes the
glutamate and aspartate (more in the vestibule) to
be released
o Glutamate stimulates on peripheral processes of
spiral ganglion → increase action potential
(2) If it beats away from kinocilium
Channels will close → potassium and calcium cannot
enter
o This will hyperpolarize the cell → decrease in
action potential
(3) If it is at rest
Nothing will happen → no increase/decrease in action
potential

2 of 4 SPECIAL SENSES: Note #9. COCHLEA: SPIRAL ORGAN OF CORTI

 (D) ENDOCOCHLEAR POTENTIAL
Stria vascularis is responsible for maintaining the high
amount of potassium in the endolymph
Stria vascularis has specialized cells secreting
potassium from the outside to the scala media where
the endolymph is
The layers of stria vascularis from outer to inner
o Spiral ligaments with fibrocytes
o Basal cells
o Intermediate cells
o Marginal cells
(E) STIMULATION OF THE OUTER HAIR CELLS
Plays only a small role in detecting sound waves but
plays an important role in modulating sound
o This help in distinguishing different frequencies
very sharply and protecting the hair cells from
damage
Have more efferent fibers than afferent fibers
(1) Pathways of action
(i) Efferent pathway
From the olivocochlear bundle within the brain stem
→ release chemicals such as acetylcholine
Acetylcholine bind to channels → induce potassium ions
leave the cell
This cause hyperpolarization of the cell
(ii) Prestin proteins
Connected on the outer hair cell → contracts the cell
→change shape of cell
(2) Mechanism of action
(i) Protective mechanism
Through the olivocochlear bundle
o Very high amplitudes activate the olivocochlear
bundle → action potential release acetylcholine →
hyperpolarize the cell
Prestin protein molecules
o Prestin molecule relax → cell lengthens
o This pulls basilar membrane → pulls reticular lamina
away → endolymph will not flow through
o Cause downward bowing of basilar membrane →
decrease basilar membrane vibrations →less
shearing of the hair cells
o This causes the decrease hair cell activation →
decrease action potential
Example:
o Putting the headphones on without realizing the
volume is at the max and suddenly blast out → this
may damage the hair cells → protective mechanism
kicks in and hyperpolarize the cell
(ii) Distinguish different frequency very sharply
Prestin molecule contract and shortening → upward
bowing of basilar membrane → increase hair cell
activation
Example:
o The sound of drums and the background noise of the
guitar
COCHLEA: SPIRAL ORGAN OF CORTI
IV) SOUND FREQUENCY
The cochlea is crucial in determining the different
frequencies of sound
Example: the different notes on the piano
(A) MECHANISM
The range of frequency needed for hearing is
20-20,000 Hz
o If < 20, no sound will be heard
 The fluid filled vibrations move from the oval
window → through the scala vestibuli → pass the
apex to the helicotrema → through the scala
tympani
 This will not bend the basilar membrane → the
lack of movement of the basilar membrane will
not stimulate the hair cells
o If > 20, no sound will be heard
The normal conversations between people in which the
ears are sensitive to is 1500-4000 Hz
The fluid filled vibrations move from the oval window →
through the scala vestibuli bending the basilar membrane
Figure 7. Cochlea and the sound frequencies [Angela Page]
(1) Parts of basilar membrane
(i) The base of the basilar membrane
Stimulated by the highest frequency waves
This is because the fibers of the basilar membrane are
shorter and stiffer towards the base (Figure 5)
o The high frequency will cause more bending of the
basilar membrane
(ii) The middle of the basilar membrane
Stimulated by the intermediate frequency waves
(iii) The apex of the basilar membrane
Stimulated by the lowest frequency waves
Note:
Frequency determines the sound pitch
Amplitude determines the loudness/intensity of sound
In the sound wave graph:
o The closer the sound waves are to one another, the
higher the frequency → the higher the pitch
o The higher the waves are, the higher the amplitude →
the louder the sound
Remember:
Scala vestibuli
o Contains perilymph (↑ sodium ↓ potassium)
Scala media (in the middle)
o Contains endolymph (↓ sodium ↑ potassium)
Scala tympani (at the bottom)
o Contains perilymph (↑ sodium ↓ potassium)
SPECIAL SENSES: Note #9. 3 of 4
 V) SOUND AMPLITUDE
Amplitude also causes the basilar membrane to vibrate
(i) High amplitude
Higher amplitude causes vibrations on multiple parts of
the vestibular membrane
→ a lot of hair cells will be activated
→ high amounts action potentials will be sent
o This is perceived as increase in sound
(ii) Low amplitude
Low amplitude causes little/minute amount of
stimulation of vestibular membrane
→ only small amounts of hair cells will be activated
→ less action potentials will be sent
o This is perceived as decrease in sound
VI) REVIEW QUESTIONS
Regarding high frequency waves, which is correct?
a. Increase in the sound
b. 20 Hz is the minimum amount of frequency that can
be detected
c. Normal conversations are between 1200-4000 Hz
d. Low amplitude increases the frequency
High amplitude is
a. Perceived as increase in sound
b. Perceived as decrease in sound
c. Doesn’t affect the basilar membrane
d. Increases the frequency
The structures in the inner ear involved with hearing
are the:
a. Vestibule and semicircular canals
b. Vestibule and cochlea
c. Semicircular canals and cochlea
d. Cochlea and organ of corti
The inner ear:
a. Is filled with fluid
b. Collects vibrations from the middle ear
c. Brings vibrations to the hearing receptors
d. All of the above
CHECK YOUR ANSWERS
VII) REFERENCES
● Jerome P.Lynch. Research Gate. The inner ear and crsoss
section of cochlea [digital image]
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Diagram-of-the-mammalian-
inner-ear-a-and-a-cross-section-of-the-cochlea-b_fig6_258298178
● Dr Piotr Golofit. Radiopaedia. Cross section of cochlea [digital
image] https://radiopaedia.org/cases/cochlea-diagram
● Research Gate. Hair cells structure [digital image]
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Factors-involved-in-Ca-2th-
homeostasis-in-cochlear-inner-hair-cells-IHCs-and-outer-
hair_fig1_328993059
● Angela Page. Sensory and Motor Mechanism. Cochlea and the
sound frequencies [digital image]
https://slideplayer.com/slide/12674987/
● Victoria Evans. Parts of cochlea [digital image] 2019.
https://victoriaevans.space/research-blog/2/5/2019/concentrations
● Wolters Kluwer Health. ResearchGate; Structures at the basilar
membran [digital image] 2013
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Cross-section-of-the-cochlea-A-
and-the-structure-of-the-organ-of-Corti-B-adapted_fig3_326120752

The endocochlear potential

a. Maintained by only the marginal cells
b. Is regarding the maintaining of the calcium levels
c. Maintained by the stria vascularis
d. None of the above

The base of basilar membrane

a. Is stimulated by the highest frequency
b. Is stimulated by lowest frequency
c. Has longer fibers than the apex
d. All of the above

Sound pitch
a. Is affected by the frequency of waves
b. Can be perceived by the cochlea
c. Lowest frequency waves stimulate the apex of
basilar membrane
d. All of the above

Regarding perilymph, which is true?

a. High in potassium
b. Can be seen in the scala media
c. Maintained by the stria vascularis
d. Mixes at the helicotrema

Regarding the kinocilium, which is false?

a. Stereocilium beating away from it stimulate action
potential
b. Stereocilium beating towards it stimulate action
potential
c. Is the longest stereocilium
d. Important in stimulating the hair cells

The structure of hair cells includes all except?

a. Stereocilia
b. Kinocilium
c. Cadherin 15 protein
d. Cadherin 23 protein

4 of 4 SPECIAL SENSES: Note #9. COCHLEA: SPIRAL ORGAN OF CORTI